The Guardian
by The Brain of Ivane
Summary: The more lives the Uniter loses, the stronger the Guardian gets. Ch17: It was a new prophecy, brought about by the reality that the Uniter and her Guardian had chosen to make their own. COMPLETE!
1. Beginnings

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own The Nine Lives of Chloe King. I only own The One Life of Ivane (more like borrowed it actually… oh shoot… I don't own anything)._

**Author's Note: **_This was a plot bunny that kept bugging me after I finished watching the first season of TNLOCK. I'm not much of a fan of love triangles, but the Brian/Chloe/Alek triangle has really been gnawing at me. I can't believe they ended the show where it did. Still completely bummed by that. Anyway, I am so rooting for Chalek, but I couldn't bring myself to write a Chalek story without including Brian in it. So yeah… this story was born out of persistent plot bunnies and a fan's frustration over a show, which ended in a wicked cliffhanger, being wrongfully cancelled. Grr… Oh well, this picks up from the ending of season 1 and (not having read the books) I plan to run with this one and do my own thing with the story and the character backgrounds that weren't fully explored in the show. Updates will come sporadically, but come on… we all know that reviews can always inspire one to write more chapters quickly. _

_I really hope this chapter somehow piques your interest enough for you to give much-coveted feedback._

**-oiOio-**

**- Beginnings -**

_Two years ago._

_Anyone who'd ever been around Alek Petrov for more than a couple of minutes would quickly be acquainted to the knowing gaze and smug sneer on his handsome face. It was his signature look, a clear indication that he looked good and he damned well knew it. It was this look that he had on as he leaned back on his locker, blonde hair sporting a casually groomed appearance, his arms crossed over his chest. _

_The smirk on his lips was caused by the numerous comments he was overhearing as he stood amidst the high school's crowded corridors, one girl after another milling past him, while gushing about how gorgeous he was. _

"_He is so hot."_

"_He's from London. I wonder if he's nobility of some kind."_

"_Move over, Prince William."_

"_He totally hit on me at the cafeteria yesterday."_

"_Ugh. You wish."_

"_He's totally out of your league."_

"_They say he stopped school for several years."_

"_I am totally going to hook up with him."_

"_Seriously, Alek. Wipe that self-satisfied smirk off your face."_

_Alek creased his brows and turned to his side and found Jasmine's big brown eyes rolling at him. He chuckled. "It was you who told me to improve on my listening skills."_

"_Not by eavesdropping on high school girls who are crushing on you," Jasmine said pointedly in her typical I-will-someday-be-a-Mai-leader manner. She tossed her wavy black hair over her shoulders before opening her locker and shoving a bunch of books inside. _

"_How would you know that they're crushing on me?" Alek flicked his brows up, amusement shining through the corners of his eyes. "That means you've been eavesdropping too…"_

_Jasmine tried to come up with a defense, but found herself speechless. She hadn't actually been eavesdropping – at least not intentionally. It didn't take much of a genius to realize that a lot of the girls were absolutely besotted with her cousin, but she wasn't about to inflate his ego – swollen as it already was – by telling him that. _

"_Ahh… practice what you preach, my dear cousin." The "self-satisfied smirk" – as she so snippily referred to it – returned to his face as he lightly flicked a thumb against Jasmine's jaw line. "But you need not worry, Jasmine. I've actually forgotten how ridiculously insipid some high school conversations can get. Humans can be so boring." Out of the corner of his eye, a welcome sight caught his attention. It was Chloe King, with her long blonde curls and beautiful face animatedly twisting from one wide-eyed expression to the next as she told her two best friends – the petite brunette and the Asian guy – about something she was obviously excited about. "Now there's someone who's never boring to eavesdrop on."_

_Jasmine followed his gaze and huffed. Alek had taken a special interest on the pretty blonde from the moment he laid eyes on her. Jasmine had to remind him several times that Chloe was human and that pursuing her would only get him in trouble. Her warnings did not go unheeded, because he never bothered to speak a word to the girl. Instead, he found a way to come up with some sort of a ruckus whenever Chloe was nearby. This time, he managed to get hold of a football from one of the jocks (a bunch he seemed to be getting along with) and was shouting to another jock from the far end of the corridor to catch it. He threw the football and it hit Chloe's friend, Paul, on the back of the head. _

_Paul looked like a wounded, little puppy as he rubbed the back of his head and frowned before saying "Ow."_

"_Uhh…" Alek turned to Jasmine and whispered, "What do Americans say when… Oh, right…" He turned back to Paul and shrugged both shoulders before yelling the ridiculously late warning, "Duck!"_

_Chloe turned her head and creased her brows at Alek before asking Paul if he was okay. Amy, on the other hand, cast an admiring look at Alek before realizing that Paul was staring questioningly at her, so she frowned at Alek and patted her friend lightly on the shoulder as if to say, "You're gonna be fine. Don't be a baby."_

_Jasmine hit Alek lightly on the arm. "What was that about?"_

_He only smiled in response, a hint of boyish naughtiness in his eyes. _

"_What's your plan, Alek? Annoy her into liking you?" This time, she smiled, amused by the reminder that despite everything he's been through and the mysterious air he kept trying to put on, Alek was still a boy in a lot of ways. The fact that he would act like a kid in kindergarten, who would resort to teasing a girl to get her attention, was something she found utterly cute. _

_Alek's eyes were still fixed on Chloe as he breathed a deep sigh. The quick shift from naughty little boy to serious mystery man took Jasmine aback. "There's something about her, Jasmine. I can't explain it, but I'm telling you… she's special." _

"_I'm sure she is," Jasmine nodded as she tapped his shoulder with one hand. "But you know the rules, Alek."_

"_Let's wait until she's sixteen…" he mumbled almost absent-mindedly. "She could be one of us."_

"_Riiiight…" Jasmine drawled. _

_The school bell rang and she said something about going to class, but Alek still had his mind on Chloe. When it came to her, he didn't quite know what to feel. He knew that she was human and she was off limits. He also knew that from the moment he laid eyes on her, he had this strong, irrational urge to protect her and keep her safe. The reason behind that was entirely beyond him. After all, why on earth would a sweet, innocent, human girl like Chloe King need protection from a powerful Mai?_

**-oiOio-**

Present day.

_Why am I doing this to myself? _Alek clenched and unclenched his fists as he continued to walk aimlessly along the streets of San Francisco. The recollection of the words he overheard Chloe confess to her mother began to once again invade his riddled mind. _I think I'm in love with Brian. _He couldn't bear the thought of it, much less understand it. _Why? What does she see in him?_

The first time he suspected that Chloe could be a Mai, he thought himself delusional. Even Jasmine, who normally took him seriously when it came to his predictions about who was and wasn't Mai, shrugged it off as possibly wishful thinking. He carefully watched her nonetheless. When they were finally able to ascertain that she was indeed one of them, his heart leapt with anticipation. After all these years of trying to deny his attraction toward her, he finally found out that he was allowed to be with her, so he lost no time in making a move on her. Never in a million years would he have imagined that the Uniter would allow herself the indulgence of doing the one thing he'd been trying to avoid the past two years – fall in love with a human. _What a fool I've made of myself. _His jaw tightened as he remembered Meredith's words. _You love who you love. _It was clear who it was that Chloe was choosing to love, and much to his chagrin, no matter how he denied it to himself, he loved her. _I can't love her. She loves him… she loves her human. _The sting of tears began to form in his eyes and Alek fought them back. _No way is she going to make me into even more of a fool than she already has. _He hadn't cried for over a decade now and he was damn well not about to start.

Eventually tiring of his lack of direction, he found himself riding up the elevator to the apartment that had been his home for the past two years. In his mind, he was rehearsing how he was going to explain to Valentina what he had decided upon. He resolved that whether or not she agreed to it, he would stand by his decision. He wasn't a fit protector to the Uniter. He was too emotionally involved. _It's time I go back to London. Face the ghosts of my past._

He breathed a sigh before turning the steel knob and pushing the large mahogany door open. His eyes widened at the sight of Jasmine's motionless body on the hardwood floor and Valentina's blank stare as she lied unmoving on the blue carpet. An awful sensation of anger and pain rose from the pit of his stomach until it settled heavily on his chest. Alek's entire body tensed as his eyes subsequently settled on the tall dark-haired lad standing over Jasmine's body. _Zane._ They accommodated and trusted him and he betrayed them. Alek wanted to ask why. It was beyond him why a Mai would do this to his own kind, but more than wanting answers to his questions, Alek wanted Zane to pay.

"I'm gonna kill you." His voice was deep and threatening and Alek meant every word of it.

Zane raised a brow, his head tilted sideways, a smug expression on his face. "Is that any way to talk to your brother?"

Alek could sense the blood drain from his cheeks as his lips slightly parted in shock. He balled his fists. The part of him that wanted to find out what the traitor was talking about was overpowered by his instinct to avenge the two women who had been the closest thing he had to family over the most difficult years of his life. Following his instincts, the young, virile Mai swooped down and swung a strong leg below Zane's knees, taking him down from beneath. Before the older lad could recover, Alek pulled a knife tucked under the assassin's belt. Zane made a motion to get up, but Alek was in a far better position to attack than he was and with one swift motion, was able to pin Zane to the ground, knife against his neck.

His breaths coming in ragged pants, Alek voiced out the one question on his mind through gritted teeth. "Why?"

Zane looked up at him, not a trace of fear in his gray eyes. An infuriating grin crossed his face. "You have no idea who you are, do you?"

The unexpected question took Alek aback and that was his undoing. Zane's fist slammed into his face and he found himself lying flat on his back, Zane pushing a hand against his chest, holding him down with a knife on his throat.

"Do you really believe that Valentina took you in because she cared about you?" A glint of amusement crossed Zane's eyes. "Fool. I ought to kill you right now, little brother, but I won't do that. You're far too important. Call me when you want to find the truth."

Before Alek could even breathe a word, Zane had already rushed off. Alek was about to follow, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jasmine begin to slightly stir.

A vague sense of hope covered him as Alek rushed to her side. "Jasmine…"

Her big brown eyes met his heart-broken gaze. She struggled to speak. "Alek… Chloe…"

Alek's breath felt like it was caught in his chest. _Perhaps… perhaps it's not too late. There might still be a way to save my best friend. _"I'm going to call the healers… you're going to be fine, Jasmine. Just hang on." He began to stand up but she grabbed his arm.

"No…" she managed to say. "Listen to me."

"Jasmine, I can't lose you."

"Protect Chloe. It's what you're meant to do. You're the leader of the Mai now."

Questions flooded his mind and a horrible desperation began to overwhelm him. "No… Jasmine, it's you who was always meant to lead… Valentina always said…"

Jasmine took his hand in hers and she gave him a smile. Chills ran down his spine as her tight grip on his hand loosened, but just before all trace of life seeped away from her, she managed to say one last thing: "You're the Guardian, Alek."

Right after she said it, an inexplicable surge of adrenaline swept through him and he knew then, without a shadow of a doubt, that something had gone terribly wrong and the first name that entered his mind was that of the young woman he was trying so desperately to forget. _Chloe._


	2. The Slaughter

**- The Slaughter -**

_Seventeen years ago._

_The sun was setting fast and the silhouette of a frail, slender young woman was quickly weaving through blocks upon blocks of worn-down tenement buildings located in one of Moscow's poorest districts. She pulled her tattered woolen coat, patched up more times than she kept track of, tighter around her slim frame in an attempt to fight off the bitter cold. She was trembling so hard, it made it difficult for her to walk, but she trudged on, each step through the several inches of snow heavier than the last. _

_It wasn't, however, the cold that was causing her to shake so much. It was the bone-chilling request that her sister-in-law, Valentina, just placed upon her conscience._

_Emilia Petrov turned a corner before stepping into the warmth of the dimly lit hallway where a narrow staircase would lead her to the apartment she shared with her husband, Greig, and their sons - four-year-old Zane and little Alek, who would be turning two in a month. She tried to catch her breath before swinging the door to their apartment open. _

"_Mama!" Zane leapt with excitement throwing himself against his mother and wrapping his chubby arms around her small waist. _

_The warm, gray eyes of her beloved husband met hers expectantly, a strand of his slightly tousled blonde hair over his left eye. He was holding Alek, who looked busy trying to tear a plastic toy truck apart. The mere sight of him and their son made her feel slightly less petrified._

I love him so much, _Emilia thought. There was something about Greig Petrov that always made her feel safe and protected. _

"_Emilia, what did your sister say?" he asked as he put Alek down on the old leather couch that they'd been using for years. Alek didn't seem to mind or even notice. The toy truck didn't stand a chance against his determination to wreck it._

_Emilia breathed a sigh and shook her head as she picked Zane, her son from her first husband, up in her arms, wrapping the child in a tight embrace, before allowing the tears to flow down her pale cheeks. _

_She had gone to a phone booth to make the long distance call to Valentina, who was living in Venice. Emilia meant to talk to her about helping them move to America. The Order had been extremely vigilant in hunting down the Mai in Moscow over the past few years and, with their growing family, it was getting increasingly difficult to stay safe. Emilia was fully expecting Valentina to agree to their request. She never expected to find her best friend, who had always been the stronger one between the two of them, so weak and broken._

"_What is it?" Greig asked her. _

"_They've killed Erik." Her sympathetic brown eyes bore at him as she searched for the words to say. "I'm so sorry, Greig."_

_He was glad that he had put Alek down before hearing the news of his older brother's demise. His chest heaved and sighed as he tried to maintain composure. He shut his eyes. "Oh God…" _

_Emilia gently placed Zane down on the ground and took several strides toward her husband. She wrapped her arms around his waist. She knew how much Erik meant to Greig, how much he meant to their family, how much he meant to the Mai. He was Valentina's husband. He was also the Guardian, the Mai groomed to protect the Uniter should the Uniter be found amongst them in this generation. He was one of the strongest among the Mai and losing him was a crushing blow to their race. Emilia tried to hold her sobs. She knew that Greig needed her just as much as she needed him. She couldn't drown herself in her apprehension and misery. Besides, there were important matters that they needed to discuss. She breathed deeply before pulling away from Greig. _

_It broke her heart to see his eyes moist, tears threatening to fall. _

"_They've taken so much from us," was his woeful whisper._

_Emilia didn't know what to say and allowed her husband the time to get a hold of himself. _

_It didn't take long for a fierce determination to cover his face. After all, the Petrovs were known to the Mai as admirably resilient. "How is Valentina? What of the child she's carrying?"_

"_She's devastated, but she says that the Mai there have been seeing to her welfare. She also made mention of moving to America soon."_

_Greig nodded, his jaw clenching. "And what of our move? What did she say?" _

"_She agreed…" _

_The hesitation in her voice and the worry in her big brown eyes were enough to tell Greig that there was more. "But?"_

"_She agreed to help us move to America under one condition…" She cast a worried glance at Alek, who had a huge smile on his face after he successfully managed to rid the truck of its wheels. "We can't leave Russia until a new Guardian has been named."_

_He visibly gulped as he followed his wife's gaze, anxiously set on their young son. "Alek?"_

_She nodded slowly, her lower lip trembling as she fumbled with her fingers. _

_Greig mumbled a curse under his breath. He didn't know whether to be honored or outraged by the request. "It's suicide," he hissed. "If the Order finds out that Alek has been named the Guardian, they will never stop hunting him down. We will spend our lives the way Erik and Valentina have been spending theirs. Always on the run. And this one time… this one time that he settles down for just a moment, the Order gets to him and he's gone. Is that the kind of life we would want for our son?"_

_Emilia listened carefully to his stream of thought, fully aware that he was thinking out loud and not really addressing her anymore. She cast a loving glance at her son. She shared the same concerns that Greig had and she felt torn inside. She weighed her words carefully. "So you're saying we won't agree to it?" She brushed past him and sat beside Alek on the couch, gently brushing her hand over the boy's tangled blonde hair. His gray eyes looked up at her. He lifted up a wheel and showed it to her as if to tell her that it was him who destroyed the toy. He then looked at the toy and apparently decided that he liked it better fixed than ruined, because he went about the task of putting the truck together again._

_Greig watched Alek's little brows furrow in concentration as his small, pudgy hands gingerly tried to put a wheel back in its place. Emilia's question was brewing in Greig's mind. Were they really going to decline Valentina's request? Erik was the first Guardian among the Petrovs. Their father had fought for the honor of his son being named the Guardian. Greig attempted to think about the whole thing as rationally as he could. _Will I really just throw away everything my father and brother fought for? If not for Alek, who else would be the Guardian? Time is running out. The ceremony has to be conducted immediately… before Alek turns two. _He felt himself slowly beginning to calm down as his mind began to clear out. _There has to be a Guardian for every generation. _He set his gaze on his beautiful raven-haired wife and shook his head. "No, Emilia. We can't decline Valentina's offer. Alek is a Petrov. He is the rightful Guardian." _

_Emilia's breath hitched. Part of her was relieved that Greig agreed, but the greater part of her was terrified over what that would mean for their family… especially for her precious little boy. "Greig… Are you sure?"_

"_We can keep our son safe," Greig nodded, his resolve strengthening. "We both know this is the right thing to do. Tell Valentina that we agree to her request under one condition."_

"_A condition?"_

"_No one finds out that Alek is the Guardian. Not until we permit it."_

_Emilia momentarily shut her eyes as she tried to calm her breaths. She then picked up Alek, who scowled and writhed away from his mother when the toy truck that he was trying to re-construct fell to the ground. He couldn't get away, however, because Emilia was holding to him tightly, securing him in her embrace. She kissed the top of his little blonde head before nodding toward her husband. "I will let Valentina know."_

_What they weren't aware of was that with or without the Guardian in their hands, the Order had long planned to eliminate every trace of the Mai from Russia. Only a few days after Alek was named the new Guardian, the Order exacted a raid upon the secret Mai settlement. It was one of the bloodiest slaughters in the Mai's recent history. _

_Valentina was sure that her sister's family had all been killed, but soon found this assumption to be false, because when they tried to name a new Guardian, the ceremony failed miserably. _

_There had to be a Guardian in every generation and there could only be one. His name was Alek Petrov. _

**-oiOio-**

Present day.

Panic overwhelmed Alek as he fished down his pocket for his phone. There was no time to grieve the loss of his aunt and cousin. He had to make sure that Chloe was okay; otherwise, all the lives sacrificed on her behalf would've been in vain. Finally grabbing a hold of his phone, he quickly called Chloe. It went straight to voice mail. _Damn it. _He ran out of the apartment, shutting the door behind him, feeling a pang of guilt over leaving Valentina and Jasmine behind, but he knew them well enough to realize that they would've wanted him to prioritize Chloe's security first. To ease his nagging conscience, he contacted Quentin, one of the oldest among the Mai in San Francisco, to inform him about what happened and that he was out to find the Uniter. Quentin quickly gave him the assurance that everything would be taken care of.

Right after he hung up, an image of Zane flashed through his mind and he realized that the traitor could well be on his way to hunting down Chloe. Alek shut away the thought of possibly losing Chloe. If he were to maintain control over his teetering hold on his own sanity, losing the Uniter – or any of her lives – simply wasn't an option. The elevator felt like it was going at a turtle's pace down the several floors between their penthouse apartment and the ground floor.

The moment the elevator slid open, his phone began to ring. It was Amy. He answered the call. "Amy, where's Chloe?"

"She's with me and Paul…"

Alek was about to sigh with relief, but found that the relief would be short-lived, because an alarming string of words flowed from Amy's trembling voice. "Alek, you have to come. We don't know what to do. It was a trap. She's been shot and Brian kissed her and we came here and he's gone and Chloe's just… I've been trying to call Valentina and Jasmine, but they're not picking up, and we don't know what to do. You have to come. It's all so terrible, Alek… We need you here badly, because we're just..."

"Amy, shut up." Alek didn't mean to sound harsh, but she was speaking faster than his mind could process the information that she was giving him. "Calm down and tell me where you are." His heart was thumping a-mile-a-minute as Amy described to him their exact location. Most of what Amy said had been lost to him in one swift blur. The only part that stuck out was 'She's been shot and Brian kissed her'. He was well aware of the devastating implications brought about by that one sentence. "Oh God… Chloe… please be alright," he muttered as he sped his way through the rooftops of San Francisco. He couldn't have gone any quicker than he did as he jumped from one ledge to the next, but it still felt as if he was nowhere near quick enough.

**-oiOio-**

Her white cheeks were void of its usual pink blush. Her eyes were glistening with moist tears. Her stare was vacant and lost in the distance. Her arms hung limply to her sides, her hands tucked under the lifeless form of the man she confessed to be in love with. From the sight of the bullet holes and blood stains on her clothes, Alek could already piece together the general idea of what happened without being told. The sight was truly heart-breaking and Alek tried to numb himself to the pain of having to watch Chloe hurt this way. He had to be strong. For her. For himself.

He took a few purposeful strides toward them before Amy and Paul looked up, alerted by his quiet, but magnetic presence. They were both about to say something, but Alek glared at them, clearly indicating that he was in no mood to deal with them. On any other day, his glare wouldn't have bothered Chloe's two best friends, but there was something about Alek that night that told them he was not to be messed with.

"Chloe." His deep baritone voice broke through her stunned reverie.

Chloe's gaze rose to meet his. "He kissed me," she explained flatly, in a traumatized child-like tone. "He's dead."

Alek hated having to see her this way. "We have to go, Chloe."

"I won't leave him here. I can't."

"Chloe, if the police come and they find us here, there will be no way for us to explain any of this. We have to go. You have to leave him here." He tried to sound calm, speaking each word in the most soothing way he could manage given the situation.

"No…" she shook her head, tears now freely flowing from her eyes, as she embraced Brian's limp form. "I love him… I love him…"

Alek tightened his jaw and balled his fists. _She might as well have stabbed me in the heart with a knife. That might even hurt less._ He swallowed hard, reminding himself that this wasn't about him. This wasn't even about Chloe. It was about the Mai and their responsibility toward their race. He wasn't about to fail in his duty to the Mai just because the Uniter happened to be good at consistently breaking his heart. Alek shut his eyes and tried to get a grip of himself. This time, he knew he had to be firm. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard.

"Alek!" Paul protested.

"What are you doing? Let go of her!" Amy chimed in.

The couple lunged toward Alek to try and pull him away from Chloe, but he was easily able to push them back. "Damn it, Chloe. Listen to me. Valentina and Jasmine are dead!"

That seemed to get her attention, because her iris temporarily transformed to its cat-like form as her eyes widened. "No… You can't mean that… How?"

Alek tried to keep himself numb, refusing to dwell on his personal tragic loss. "We'll talk about it later. Right now, we have to leave. Get up, Chloe," he ordered, his hands still holding her shoulders in a viselike grip. "Now!" He pulled her upwards, in the process causing Brian's lifeless form to fall on the ground.

Chloe gasped and was about to stoop over to once again be by Brian's side, but Alek held her by the arm.

"Chloe, we have to go."

"Alek, please…" she pleaded. "I just want to say goodbye."

Alek drew a breath. "Make it quick." He let go of her arm and turned his back to her, not wanting to have to witness her with Brian. He faced Paul and Amy. "Get the car started. I don't think either one of us is up for traveling through rooftops."

Amy nodded and Paul cast a sympathetic look at him, before they held hands and walked out.

Alek stood still, his back turned to Chloe. He tried to shut it out, but he could hear her whispering to Brian about how sorry she was and how much she loved him. Alek meant to count until ten, but by the time he reached five, he just couldn't bear it anymore. "That's enough, Chloe."

A spell-binding silence filled the room for a moment. Alek slightly turned his head in time to find Chloe stepping beside him. He felt her hands clasp against his and her mere touch made him ache inside. He thought of pulling his hand away, but at that moment, he needed her and he knew that she needed him. He squeezed her hand.

No words were uttered as they walked out the theater. Their fingers intertwined and their palms pressed together were enough to speak the words they couldn't possibly voice out. _You're not alone. I know exactly how painful what you're going through is, and I'm here for you. I will always – always – be here for you._

**-oiOio-**

Simone watched from her car as the young blonde girl, whom she just shot and left for dead, walked out of the theater with the tall, blonde Mai. "She's the Uniter. There's no doubt about it," she spoke over the phone.

The Rezza matriarch shifted on her seat, a smile on her face. "Perfect. Control the Uniter and you control the fate of the Mai. It's time to put her attraction to my grandson to good use."

Simone frowned, apprehensive at how their leader would react. "There was an unexpected complication."

"What do you mean?"

"Your grandson showed up after I shot the girl. They kissed. I think he's dead."

There wasn't even a hint of shock or worry or grief in the old woman's face as she eased back on her soft, velvet couch. _The Uniter thinks she killed Brian. This is turning out to be better than planned._ "Bring him here. Don't worry. A Mai's kiss can only kill a human."


	3. Refuge

**- Refuge -**

_More or less two years ago._

_It was only about a week since school started and for some reason, which was utterly beyond Chloe, Amy was able to talk her into approaching "London" – as Amy so gregariously called the new guy whose presence in their high school immediately caught the two best friends' attention. _

"_A girl would have to be blind not to realize how attractive he is," Amy crooned more than once during the previous week. _

_It took all of Chloe's confidence, but she made her way to him. He was rummaging for something through his locker and she stood behind him, suddenly feeling small compared to his tall, masculine physique. She drew a breath to calm her nerves before speaking up to make her presence known to him. "Hey. You're new here."_

_He shut his locker and turned his head toward her. He slit his eyes at her in scrutiny before allowing a sideward grin to form on his face. "Is it that obvious?"_

_Chloe felt her cheeks heat up in a blush, so she extended her hand toward him for a handshake to hopefully divert his attention. "I'm Chloe." _

_He took her hand and, to her surprise, pulled her close so that she was only inches from him. "Alek." _

_Her proximity to him made her spine tingle with excitement. She could feel her heartbeat double its rate as she stared into those warm, gray eyes. Chloe felt herself beginning to blush – again – so she looked away, slightly embarrassed. She breathed deeply only to catch a strong whiff of his musk, a reminder of how appealingly virile he was._

_Consumed by her efforts to try and maintain composure, she couldn't have possibly realized the magnitude of her effect on him. Just the sight of those blue eyes of hers, peering through long blonde eyelashes, was enough to drive Alek insane. Two things were roaming his mind – the fact that he wasn't allowed to kiss her and the fact that he desperately wanted to. He'd been eyeing her all week and with her, standing there so close to him, looking as sweet and charming as she did at that moment, acting upon his attraction to her – an attraction he himself could not fully comprehend – became all the more difficult. Thus, just as he did whenever faced with a situation he found difficult to handle, Alek let his ego take over. "So? Are you going to kiss me or what?" He tilted his head to the side, a smirk forming on his face. _

_She creased her brows at him, a bewildered look coming over her. "Right…" Her eyes narrowed. "That's what every girl is dying to do… kiss total strangers they've only just met."_

"_Well, if the total stranger looks like me…" he trailed off and shrugged, brushing the back of his hand over her cheekbone. _

"_Wow. Someone's full of himself." If she were to be honest with herself, the way his body was so close to hers and the way she could feel his warm breath against her skin when he spoke were introducing her to a bunch of feelings that she couldn't quite place. Thus, she shoved the strange, unfamiliar feelings away and let other emotions take over – specifically indignation and a keen sense of self-respect. _No matter how good-looking this guy is and yes, I'm wildly attracted to him, he still does not have the right to treat me – or any other girl – as if I'm desperate to be in his bed. _Chloe huffed. "You know what?" She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away. "Maybe most girls fall for this… _thing_… you do, but I'm not like most girls, so back off, London." _

_Ignoring the way his brow quirked up as he asked, "London?" she brushed past him and returned to Amy, who was dying to hear about her encounter with the handsome Brit._

"_Trust me, Amy," Chloe eventually said after being unable to fend off Amy's pleas for more details, "A guy who would first hit on you before even bothering to make the attempt to get to know you is so not worth the time and the effort. I am never going to talk to that guy again."_

_Alek kept his eyes on Chloe after she brushed him off and walked back to her best friend. He listened in on their conversation, still unable to believe that he'd been shot down like that. For some reason, her rejection of him made her all the more attractive to him. She was right. She was unlike any other girl he'd tried to charm before. It took more than just charisma and a couple of sexy moves and smooth lines to get a girl like Chloe, and for someone who relied on exactly those things to get girls that he wanted, Alek realized that he wasn't quite sure what to do to get her. _

_What Alek didn't recognize at that time was that Chloe was looking for someone genuine, but to be genuine, he had to make himself vulnerable. For him to be vulnerable, Alek had to drop his guard and there was no way he would be willing to do that. Not for any girl – especially not for a mere human being like Chloe King._

**-oiOio-**

_All it took for Amy to melt into a rather pathetic fan girl sigh was the sight of Alek strutting into the cafeteria with his posse of jocks and groupie-like cheerleaders. "When will he realize that we're meant for each other?" she gushed, a glazed dreamy look coming over her pretty features as she leaned her chin over her palms, conveniently propped up by her elbows on the table._

_Chloe and Paul exchanged there's-something-seriously-wrong-with-her glances. _

"_What do you see in him?" Chloe asked. "He's a world-class jerk, Amy. I don't get why you're so into him."_

"_I do," Paul said, shrugging one shoulder. "He's like the embodiment of every high school movie stereotyped guy that fan girls the world over croon for. Tall, handsome, slightly mysterious with a sort of bad boy streak that enhances his alpha male image. The leading lady falls for him, but then she eventually realizes exactly what Chloe realized. He's an arrogant jerk and she'd rather be with a nice guy like me." Paul smiled, looking very pleased with himself._

_Amy grimaced as she cast a why-am-I-friends-with-you look at him. She rolled her eyes and sighed, casting another wayward glance at Alek. "I have no idea what you're talking about. London is perfect."_

"_Don't say I didn't warn you," Paul grinned, his eyes disappearing into slits as he did. "The high school movie formula always works like a charm. I'm pretty sure you'll end up with someone like me."_

_Chloe would've been amused, but her eyes were set on Alek. Everything about him grated at her nerves. His confident swagger, that all-too-familiar cocky smirk pasted on his face, the way her knees seemed to weaken whenever she caught him staring at her. It was mostly that last part that got her so riled up. Why he would still have that effect on her after getting to know him as the cocky bastard that he so obviously was annoyed the living daylights out of her._

_Alek's eyes swept across the cafeteria and settled on hers. Chloe thought of looking away, but he'd already caught her looking at him, so she figured she might as well try to stare him down. He winked at her, which made her grit her teeth. Before she could blush, Chloe rolled her eyes and shifted her gaze back to Amy, who was now arguing with Paul about how there was absolutely no way she would end up with someone like him. _

_What Chloe didn't recognize since her first encounter with Alek was that, even though they kept their distance from each other and never even spoke a word to each other, they were continuously flirting on a day-to-day basis. There wasn't a day in school that would pass by without her stealing a glance at him – irritated or otherwise. There wasn't a day in school that would pass by without her having to endure him doing something stupid or something annoying somewhere near her. They would exchange stolen glances and she would roll her eyes whenever he winked at her or smiled at her. He was a staple in her life just as much as her mother and her two best friends were._

_Chloe was fully unaware of it, but she couldn't possibly imagine life as she knew it and not have Alek Petrov in it._

**-oiOio-**

Present day.

Chloe leaned her head on Alek's shoulder as they made themselves comfortable on the backseat of Amy's car. Paul tried to break the silence with small talk at one point – a few minutes after Amy started driving away from the theater. It was easy to realize, however, that all of them preferred to just lose themselves in their own thoughts; thus, they spent the rest of the ride in a somewhat heart-breaking silence.

Chloe brushed her palm against Alek's, absent-mindedly allowing her fingers to playfully intertwine with his. Though still overwhelmed by her grief over what happened to Brian, she still found it in her heart to be concerned for Alek. She didn't need her empathic powers to know that he was hurting, and yet, here he was… silent, strong, unmoving… holding her hand, making her feel like he always did – secure and protected. She fondly looked at him. His eyes were set outside the window of the moving car. _I wonder what's going through his mind, _she thought. A certain feeling of inadequacy came over her as she realized that she had no idea how to help alleviate his pain. She squeezed his hand.

Alek shifted his gaze from outside the window to Chloe. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. Instead, he wrapped an arm over her shoulder and began softly stroking her long, blonde hair. In the back of his mind, a voice was calling for self-preservation and questioning what he was doing with Chloe after she just professed her love for another guy. He pushed the voice away. He reminded himself that she was the Uniter and that it was his duty to protect her, to be there for her. _She needs me, _he told himself, though deep inside, he knew the truth that he refused to admit. He needed her too.

Amy's car pulled over in front of Chloe's house. She turned to her best friend from the front seat. "Do you need us to go in there with you?" she asked, obviously not knowing how to handle the situation.

Chloe forced a smile and shook her head. "No, Amy. You and Paul go home. Your parents might be worried by now. Thank you. Don't worry about me."

Amy and Paul exchanged a glance before casting a sympathetic look at Chloe. They eventually relented, knowing that she was right.

Alek and Chloe got off the car and walked to her front door as Amy drove away with Paul.

Chloe looked up at Alek, not quite certain what to say to him.

"Will you be okay?" Alek asked, breaking the silence. _What a stupid question. Of course she won't be okay. She just died again tonight and knowing her, she's probably blaming herself for Brian's death. _

A bitter smile formed on her lips. "Will you?"

"Is your mother home? I can stay with you until she arrives…" he offered hopefully. He wanted her to say yes. The last thing he wanted to do was go back to the apartment he shared with Valentina and Jasmine and find it devoid of them.

She shook her head. "I'll be fine, Alek. I wouldn't know how to explain you to my mother and you really ought to get some rest."

His heart sank, but he nodded. "Okay." He finally let go of her hand. He cupped her cheeks and planted a kiss on her forehead. "If you need me, just call."

Chloe nodded.

He began to turn away, but she pulled him back. She pressed her lips against his cheek. "Thank you, Alek. For being here."

Alek tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Until tomorrow, Chloe." He then walked away to find Quentin, who he was expecting to be guarding over the King household at that time.

Chloe, on the other hand, watched him walk a few strides away from her before fumbling for her keys and opening their front door. She was relieved to find that her mother hadn't yet arrived. She wouldn't have known how to explain the bullet holes and blood stains on her clothes. She climbed up the steps to her bedroom and the moment she shut the door, a crushing feeling of loneliness began to overwhelm her and it didn't take long for her to realize that she wouldn't be able to stand bearing the weight of everything that had happened alone… at least not for that night.

Thus, after changing into a new set of clothes, she left Meredith a note on her kitchen counter. _Mom, spending the night at Amy's. Will be home tomorrow. Love you. _

**-oiOio-**

Alek would've much more preferred to take the night duty and stand watch over Chloe, but Quentin was insistent on sending him home. Pulling seniority over Alek, he demanded that the younger Mai get much-needed rest.

"It had been a long night and the next day would be sure to bring its own share of obstacles," he said, before giving Alek his assurance, "We'll keep watch over her."

"And Zane?" The traitor's name left a bitter taste in Alek's mouth. "I could help hunt him down."

"Our best hunters are searching for him as we speak. All pride leaders have already been alerted of his betrayal." Quentin patted the younger guy on the back. "Everything is taken care of, Alek. Go home."

Alek reluctantly obliged. That wasn't enough for Quentin, because he insisted on having two other Mai escort Alek to the apartment to make sure that he did as he was told.

By the time they arrived at the penthouse, the Mai's clean-up team had already done an awesome job making sure that everything was pitch perfect. There were no traces of Jasmine's blood on the floor. Every object was in place. Not a strand of hair or a single piece of evidence would be found in the living room where his aunt and cousin were murdered – Alek was sure of it. No one would ever know that such a violent act had been committed within its walls. The Mai would cook up some story to explain Valentina and Jasmine's deaths and plant evidence to back it up. The police would never know of the murder. It was the only way to get them off the Mai's backs.

Standing in the middle of the apartment that had been his refuge, his fortress, over the past two years, Alek found that he couldn't stand being inside it and yet he couldn't leave either. There was no place to go. Besides, any show of grief would only make him out as weak to the two Mai who had brought him home.

"Will you be okay?" The skinny, redheaded Mai, whose name he couldn't remember, asked. He remembered seeing her recently after she visited Valentina to introduce herself as a new Mai.

Alek furrowed his brows, attempting to numb himself to the pain. His mind was in chaos and he didn't have any strength left in him to try and figure out everything that happened over the past few hours, much less entertain or even be remotely nice to these two Mai playing at being his chaperones. In fact, at that moment, he found their mere existence extremely annoying. He began pulling his shirt over his head. "I'm going to bed. Lock the door when you show yourself out."

The two Mai exchanged glances and watched the shirtless young man walk into one of the bedrooms.

"You'd think he'd be devastated. He's acting as if nothing happened," the redhead said.

"He is a Petrov," Liam, a tall, muscled Mai with a shaved head, tried to explain. "The Petrovs have gone through the worst of circumstances and they always find a way to fight through it. I'm sure he has it in him to make it through this. Besides, he knows that his duty toward the Mai comes first."

As he got changed into his sleepwear, Alek couldn't help but overhear the exchange of words between the two Mai he left behind. _I wish I had the same confidence in myself the way Liam seems to have in me._ He pulled the blanket over his bed aside and lied down, resting his head on the pillow, his gray eyes set blankly on the ceiling. The voices of the two Mai soon faded away right after the sound of the front door being closed. He was alone. Suddenly, the apartment seemed to be too large, too spacious, _too much_. He hadn't felt as alone as he did at that moment since the time the first signs of his being a Mai came out.

Alek shut his eyes and tried to sleep, but the thoughts raging in his mind and the ache weighing heavily on his chest were enough indication that peaceful slumber would elude him that night.

To his relief, his phone began to vibrate and he lost no time in grabbing it from the bedside table. It was Quentin. Alek's pulse quickened. _Quentin wouldn't call me if it weren't important. _He quickly answered the call. "What's wrong?"

Heavy panting came from the other side of the line, causing shivers to run down Alek's spine. "Alek, is Chloe with you?"

"What do you mean is Chloe with me? You're supposed to be watching over her!"

"She's gone," Quentin said through ragged breaths, an indication that he'd been running. "We don't know where the Uniter is."

_Incompetent fools! _Panic and fury crept into Alek as he jumped out of the bed. She'd already lost a life that night. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she lost another. He wanted to yell at Quentin. He wanted to scream, make a scene, destroy something, reveal to those who were supposed to be watching her just how incompetent they were. A slew of curses were flooding through his brain and threatening to stream out of his lips, but he knew that playing the blame game would do no one any good.

Quentin's voice was still jabbering through the line, explaining to him what happened. "Any idea where she might be?"

Alek tried to think about where she could possibly go. _She wouldn't be foolish enough to return to the theater… But then again, it's Chloe… She's known to be quite a fool sometimes. _Alek gritted his teeth and was about to respond to Quentin, when he heard a knock on the front door. He rushed to open it and to his relief, found Chloe there, trembling.

"She's here, Quentin. She's safe," he said over the line before hanging up and pulling her shaking body in a tight embrace. After pulling away from her, he looked at her from head to foot as if in disbelief that she was actually there. Finally certain that she was unharmed and in one piece, he let out the breath that he didn't even know he was holding. "You had me so scared. What were you thinking? What are you doing here?"

"I'm okay," she assured, her face flushed, embarrassed over all the fuss that happened over her behalf. After all these months, Chloe found that she still wasn't used to all the attention. She looked up at Alek and bit her lip before explaining, "I didn't want to be alone." She didn't finish the sentence before her voice broke and the grief began to once again overwhelm her. She instinctively eased herself into his strong arms. She wasn't even aware that she was sobbing into his bare chest. She just took consolation in the fact that he was there for her. She had gone to the one person who always came to mind when things got out of hand.

_I'm sure he wouldn't want to be alone either _was the final thought that solidified her resolve to leave home and make her way to him. She was right. No words could describe the gratefulness that Alek felt upon seeing her, upon realizing that he didn't have to spend the rest of that awful night alone. "I'm glad you came," he whispered into her ear. "I need you here."

For some reason, hearing him admit that to her out loud gave her more comfort than she could make sense of. Her sobs slowly eased as he took her hand and led her inside the apartment, shutting the door behind her. An awkward silence ensued as they slowly moved toward the center of the living room.

_This was where Valentina and Jasmine were killed… _Chloe realized as she perused the spacious apartment. She still couldn't bring herself to believe that they were gone and just the thought of them made standing there unbearable.

"I'd offer that we stay in the couch, but…" Alek's voice trailed off and she immediately understood what he was trying to imply.

She nodded at him, her grip tightening around his hand. "It's okay. I understand. I trust you."

He placed his hand over her shoulder and leaned over to kiss her temple. Without another word, he pulled her to his bedroom, where they snuggled against each other for the rest of the night. There were no more words spoken between them until they finally drifted off to sleep. Both of them just drew comfort in the knowledge that someone else fully understood exactly what they were going through. It made them feel less alone. It made them focus less on their own anguish and put their efforts into trying to somehow console each other.

That night, and so many more nights after that, both of them found their refuge in each other's arms.


	4. Leader of the Mai

**- Leader of the Mai -**

_A couple of months ago._

_There was a distinct mischievous streak in the corners of Alek's eyes as he summoned his feline ability to silently prowl and sneak up on his prey. This time, the prey was Chloe King and he was trying to sneak through her window as noiselessly as possible, just so he could have the pleasure of watching her jump out of her skin in surprise. It turned out that he would be the one taken by surprise. The truth was Chloe wouldn't have stood a chance against his attempt to startle her if she didn't look so incredible, sitting cross-legged on her bed, most of her long blonde curls bunched up in a rather messy bun, loose strands of her hair framing her face as she pensively wrote on a red, leather-bound journal. She looked so serene, so calm, as she wrinkled her forehead in concentration, all her thoughts focused on whatever part of her being she was recording on the little red book that Alek was dying to open and read. _

_Alek lost track of how long he stood there watching her before she dropped the pen between the pages of the journal, finally done with writing her entry. She then bit her lip and breathed a sigh before raising her head to find him standing by the edge of her bed watching her. The unexpected sight of him made her flinch with astonishment, sending her an inch or two back on her bed. "Alek!" she exclaimed. _

_Alek smiled, pleased that he was still able to startle her even if she was able to unwittingly use her loveliness to distract him. _

"_Will you ever stop sneaking up on me like that?" she irritably demanded as she shut her journal and tossed it inside the bag that was laid on the space of the bed in front of her. "How long have you been standing there?"_

_He sat on the edge of her bed, grabbed the bag and swiftly fished the journal out of it. "What were you writing?"_

"_Alek, don't…" she lunged forward retrieving her private thoughts from him before he could manage to peer through them. "Is nothing private anymore?" Her blue eyes widened at him as she tightly clutched the red tome against her chest as if to try and protect it from him. _As if I haven't already lost enough privacy with him and who knows who else watching my every move and calling it 'Uniter duty'…

_A roguish beam came to his face as he leaned on her bed, arms supporting his weight. "I honestly think it would help that you don't keep secrets from me. You know…" One shoulder rose to a shrug "…so I can protect you."_

"_Right." She rolled her eyes. "Why are you here, Alek?"_

"_I'm up to something that I know you want to help me with."_

_Chloe scrunched up her nose. "That's your way of asking for help?"_

"_Asking for help…" he began to say, inching closer to her, "…not my thing."_

"_Clearly." She nodded._

_Ignoring her, Alek continued, "I'm giving you the chance to do something wonderful for a mutual friend of ours." _

There it is again_, Chloe thought. _That self-satisfied smirk of his._ "Know what I find amazing?"_

"_Me?" He winked._

I can't believe I didn't see that coming. _She winced. "No. I find it amazing that you're asking me for help, but you're talking like you're about to do me a favor. I bet you can beg on the streets and still manage to do it looking arrogant." _

"_It's a gift," Alek said wistfully, his eyes twinkling. "So are you in?"_

"_What are we even talking about?"_

"_It's Jasmine…" Alek began to tell her what he had in mind and finished his explanation with, "Think of it this way, Chloe… helping with this will give you an opportunity to spend time with me so you can try to win me over with your charm."_

"_Oh, how could I pass up the opportunity…" she drawled flatly, sarcasm dripping from her voice._

"_I'll take that as a yes," was his triumphant conclusion, coupled with a knowing smirk._

_Chloe's shoulders sagged. She was pretty sure that he'd already decided that her answer was yes even before he talked to her. "For the record, I'm doing this for Jasmine. Not for you."_

_Alek chuckled. "Keep telling yourself that until you've convinced yourself that it's true, lovely lioness." He playfully chucked his knuckles against her chin before trying to once again reach for her journal. _

_She slapped his hand away. "Alek, no."_

_Alek eyed the journal and Chloe knew for a fact that she was going to have to make an effort to secure the little red book. If she weren't so distracted, Chloe would be wondering to herself why on earth she found Alek so wickedly attractive at that moment. _

**-oiOio-**

_Jasmine lifted the huge duffel bag on top of the kitchen counter where Alek was having his breakfast of waffles with maple syrup. He stared incredulously at the bag for a couple of seconds before shifting his focus to Jasmine, who, to his surprise, was glaring questioningly at him. _

"_Why aren't you dressed yet?" she asked, giving him a look over. He was still wearing a white singlet and gray pajamas. _

"_Why should I be dressed?" Alek squint one eye at her before shoving a forkful of his breakfast inside his mouth._

_Her brown eyes widened and her hand rose to the air for emphasis. "The Uniter. Training. Why else?"_

_He almost choked on his food. "Are you serious? It's…" he paused "…Saturday."_

_Jasmine creased her brows, wondering what on earth was wrong with him. "Since when did we stop training on Saturdays?" she asked as she walked to the refrigerator and retrieved a pitcher of orange juice. "Get dressed, Alek. Chloe might be waiting already."_

Yes, because Chloe loves training with us. _Alek watched his cousin pour a glass of orange juice for herself. _Is my mind playing tricks on me or has Jasmine really forgotten?

**-oiOio-**

_Panting for breath, Chloe lied on her back over the rooftop's concrete ground. _What's taking her so long? Amy, come rescue me already. _Alas, the call she was expecting Amy to make – the one saving grace that would get her out of training with Alek and Jasmine – still eluded her. _

_Alek stood over her and extended his hand toward her to help her up, the wooden stick that had swept her to the ground on his other hand. "You were supposed to dodge that."_

"_You think?" Chloe snapped, not missing the hint of naughtiness in his eyes._

"_You need to sharpen your senses, Chloe," Jasmine spoke up as she wielded nunchucks in her hands. "Alek told me that he was easily able to sneak up on you in your bedroom. If he was one of the Order's assassins, you'd be down another life."_

_Chloe leaned her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath as she cast a sideward glance at Alek as if to ask him why the heck they were still training on that day._

_Alek seemed to understand what she was attempting to convey to him, because he raised both hands in mock surrender and shrugged. _

"_Come on, Chloe," Jasmine interrupted their almost telepathic conversation. "Again."_

"_Break…" Chloe pleaded. "Just ten minutes."_

_Jasmine gave it some thought and relaxed. "Fine. Ten minutes." She leaned over the metal banister and breathed a sigh before looking out into the distance._

_Alek cast his cousin a concerned look. Valentina had been really riding her hard these past months. Of all the people he was sure needed a break, it would be Jasmine. He knew that she was feeling the pressure of being groomed as their pride's leader more than ever. With the Uniter being found in San Francisco, the weight that fell upon the Mai leader of the pride there was greater than any of the other leaders. He knew that this was as normal as it gets for them, but he still felt sorry for Jasmine. No teenager should have to bear such a weight, but in his honest opinion, Jasmine was doing an amazing job at it._

_It was almost freaky how Chloe seemed to know what he was thinking about because she asked, "This leader of the Mai thing… how does it actually work?"_

_Jasmine creased her brows. "What do you mean?"_

"_Do you inherit it or something?"_

"_Kind of." Jasmine nodded. "Mai leaders are the descendants of the First Mai Council, the founding of which dates back to ancient history. Every time the last of a council member's descendants dies, a new council member is elected into place and that council member's descendants inherit the right to be a leader of the Mai in their respective locations."_

"_What if there's more than one descendant in one place?"_

"_The closest relative of the last Mai leader takes the position," Alek replied._

"_In our case, for example," Jasmine elucidated. "Should anything happen to my mother, both Alek and I, being from the Petrov bloodline, have the right to lead."_

"_But Jasmine has priority, because she's the last Mai leader's daughter," Alek finished. _

_Chloe searched her mind for a follow-up question in order to prolong the break, but couldn't think of one. Jasmine was already straightening up and gripping the nunchucks with both hands, a clear indication that training was about to start. _

_Jasmine nodded toward her, wordlessly beckoning her to get up and get ready to fight._

_Chloe groaned, dreading the bruises that she was sure would inevitably grace some part of her body. She was already positioning herself for Jasmine's attack when her phone began to vibrate. Chloe practically screeched with delight as she raised a finger toward Jasmine and said, "Just a sec…" before fishing down her pocket for her phone. Just as she expected, it was Amy, telling her that they were ready._

"_Anything important?" came Alek's British accent._

_Chloe did her best to look as believably alarmed as she could. "We need to go."_

"_What happened?" A tinge of panic was in Jasmine's voice. _

"_It's Amy."_

_Alek had to hide the smile that crept on his face at Chloe's worried voice. Even he was almost convinced that Amy was in trouble. It didn't take long for them to move from the rooftop to Jasmine's car. They drove off to the coffee shop beside the vintage boutique Chloe worked in, where Chloe – in a panicked voice – said Amy would be._

"_What did Amy say, Chloe? What's going on?" Jasmine asked at one point of the ride._

"_I'm not sure. Her message was confusing."_

_Jasmine raised her brows suspiciously. _

"_That's it?" Alek piped up, sounding annoyed as he tried to keep the whole thing convincing. "We're off to save your friend and we're not even sure if she's in trouble?"_

"_Just trust me on this one." Chloe glared at him as if to ask him what he was doing sounding all irritated, considering that this whole thing was his idea._

_Alek made a real effort to hold back the laughter. _

_Finally, Jasmine pulled over beside the coffee shop. Chloe and Alek was first to get off the car and quickly made their way to the shop's front door._

_Jasmine shut the car door and heard the soft beep that told her it was already locked. She blew a sigh before following them into the coffee shop. As she swung the door open, she was surprised to find Chloe and Alek smiling at her. She turned toward the inside of the coffee shop and her mouth dropped open as everyone present yelled, "Surprise!" _

_Balloons of different colors were strewn all over the place. Amy and Paul were standing amongst a bunch of Mai, but it was Valentina whom Jasmine quickly focused on. Her mother was smiling at her… a sight that she rarely saw. She felt Alek's arm over her shoulder as he handed her a bouquet of flowers. His lips press against the top of her head. "Happy birthday, cousin."_

"_Thanks for everything, Jasmine," Chloe gently brushed her shoulder, an appreciative smile on her pretty face. "Happy birthday."_

_Jasmine felt tears brim her eyes as one after the other, her loved ones began pulling her in a hug or messing with her hair or whatever it was they did to show affection. She felt embarrassed by how sappy she was getting, but she couldn't help it. It felt good to be appreciated this way. It felt good that the people she cared about and loved remembered her birthday, even when she herself totally forgot about it._

**-oiOio-**

Present day.

The next morning, Chloe woke up to find the space beside her empty. It took her a while to adjust and realize where exactly she was and why she was there. Strangely enough, the first overwhelming urge that came to her was to find out where Alek was and how he was doing. For some reason, easing his grief became more important to her than easing her own. Maybe it was because focusing on him made it easier for her to avoid having to deal with what she was going through herself. She stepped into the bathroom and washed her face before pulling her curls up in a ponytail to get them off her face. She then walked out of Alek's bedroom, still not being able to fully grasp the concept that she spent an entire night in a guy's bed – and the guy was Alek Petrov of all people.

"Alek?" she called out, immediately catching a whiff of the smell of popcorn wafting in the air.

"Chloe," he called to her from the kitchen counter. "You're up," he said with a smile when she made her way to him. He was sitting on top of the granite counter, still shirtless and in his pajamas, a large bowl of popcorn on his lap.

"Popcorn?" she asked. "For breakfast?"

"Reminds me of Jasmine," Alek explained, with what strangely looked like a blush. "She eats popcorn when she's…"

"…nervous," Chloe finished for him. "I know." She propped herself up on the counter beside him. She took a piece of popcorn from the bowl and popped it into her mouth, remembering the last time Jasmine made popcorn for her. "I can't believe she's gone."

"She was nervous a lot lately," Alek confessed, not really sure where he intended to go with the conversation. He wasn't sure of anything as of late.

"Thanks to me?"

"More like thanks to her sense of duty to our race…" Alek's voice trailed off and he raised a brow before looking at Chloe in question. "What do you mean thanks to you?"

"With me being the Uniter… all the trouble that that has been causing…" She pursed her lips, obviously rather uncomfortable with where the conversation was going.

"Do you think any of this is your fault, Chloe?"

Chloe sighed. "How can I not? If I weren't the Uniter… If I had just died like any normal human being… maybe…"

"Stop that." The authority in his voice was unmistakable. He set the bowl of popcorn on the countertop and stood up. He faced Chloe and cupped his hands over her cheeks. "Listen to me, Chloe. None of this is your fault. None of it."

She began to tremble. A tear ran down her cheek. She knew he was right, but still, the guilt nagged at her.

"You need to stop selling yourself short. You can't blame yourself for every bad thing that happens… especially ones that are beyond your control. Do you understand me?"

She nodded. It was the only logical reaction to the strong conviction, stemming from the fierce, young Mai.

The expression on his face slowly began to soften as his thumb brushed a loose strand of hair away from her eyes. "We'll get past this. Together."

A smile managed to creep into her soft pink lips and she felt herself loving the feel of his large, warm hands against her cheeks. No one could make her feel as safe as Alek could. She always felt protected and secure when she was around him. He began to wipe her tears away. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his bare shoulder, nuzzling her cheek on the nook of his neck before whispering into his ear, "Thank you, Alek. I needed to hear that."

"Just know that I'm here for you," he whispered back, his hand running up and down her back to soothe her.

Chloe found his strength to be amazing. She knew he was hurting too, but here he was providing her comfort after she woke up determined to comfort him. They let go of each other and looked into each other's eyes, Alek leaning against her knees, his hands set on the counter on either side of her hips. "What happens now?" she asked.

"We need to meet with the other Mai. A new leader for our pride needs to be named."

The reality sank into Chloe. _He's the leader now. _She took his hand in hers and clutched it tight.

Alek sighed, memories of Jasmine's last words flashing through his mind. _You're the leader of the Mai now… You are the Guardian, Alek. _So many questions that needed to be answered, with Valentina, who was the one person he knew was able to answer them, gone. He looked into the deep blue eyes of Chloe, who was looking at him with such deep concern that it woke a part of him that he didn't know was still there. The part that longed to be taken care of… the part that he thought he'd killed when he made himself believe that he was on his own and that he needed to remain tough. Not quite sure how to handle how she was making him feel (he never seemed to know how to anyway), he was relieved when his phone began to vibrate. It was Quentin. _What now? _He couldn't deny his irritation over Chloe being able to escape from their watch the night before. He answered the call. "Yes?"

"Alek, the healers were able to revive Jasmine. She's still unconscious, but she'll be okay. We'll be returning her there as soon as the healers say that it's fine for her to leave."

A mixture of anger, confusion, relief and delight washed over Alek in one flood of emotion. He looked at Chloe and the strange look of shock and excitement on her face told him that she heard what Quentin said. Alek tried to control his breaths as he asked, "And you thought of informing me of this just now?"

"She was hanging by a thread. It wasn't until early this morning that any real hope of her surviving came about," Quentin explained. "We didn't want to give you false hope."

"False hope? Any kind of hope is better than no hope at all!" Alek was trying to control his temper, but was miserably failing at it. "Do you have any idea what it was like to think that I've lost her?"

"I thought…" was all Quentin managed to say before silence filled his side of the line.

Chloe began running a hand over Alek's shoulder. She'd never seen him this way before. He was shaking and she could see that he was desperately trying to calm down.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"At Union Hall. With the healers…"

Alek hung up, unable to stand the sound of the older guy's voice any further. He clutched the edge of the counter with both hands, his knuckles whitening at the tightness of his grip.

"Hey…" Chloe cooed, sensing the intensity oozing out of him. She began caressing his cheek. "Jasmine's going to be fine. We're not going to lose her."

Just hearing her voice was soothing enough and he could feel the pace of his breaths begin to normalize. He shut his eyes and tried to just relish the sensation of her soft palm on his skin, calming and comforting. "I was so scared," he admitted in a moment of vulnerability. "I don't know how I would've been able to handle it."

Chloe wasn't really sure what it was that he was scared about, but she knew that it would help him just for her to be there for him. "You were right. We'll get past this." Chloe's heart reached out to him, loving that he was letting his guard down with her, that he was opening up to her and showing something beyond his usual façade of confident arrogance. She gently stroked his soft, blonde hair. It was now her turn to be strong for him.

**-oiOio-**

Quentin and Jasmine were talking when Chloe and Alek burst inside the room. Jasmine smiled at the sight of them. She tried to sit up on the bed, but recoiled at the pain caused by the stab wound on her lower torso.

Alek rushed to her side. "Jasmine…"

Jasmine took comfort in the concern in his voice. She'd heard how he raised hell on her behalf upon arriving at Union Hall (which was just an old building the Mai used as headquarters of sorts). It was actually her who asked Quentin not to tell him that there was a possibility that she would recover. _He needs to start warming up to the fact that he's going to lead. _She felt his hand grab hers. He squeezed so tightly, she winced. "I'm fine, Alek. You're going to maim my hand if you squeeze any tighter."

"Sorry…" Alek let go. "I… God, Jas… you left us in quite a fright… the thought that we'd lost you…"

"You didn't think you could get rid of me so easily, did you?" she grinned as she brushed her thumb over his cheekbone. "Now, update me. What has been going on since last night?"

Alek grinned as he swapped knowing looks with Chloe, who was now sitting across the bed from him. "Spoken like a true Mai leader," he teased Jasmine, trying to ease the tension in the room – most of which was coming from him.

A serious, somewhat sad, expression crossed over Jasmine's pallid face, her brown eyes softening toward her cousin as she sighed. "Alek, I meant it when I said that you're the leader of the Mai now."

Alek opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. _What is she talking about?_

"But you're okay now," Chloe spoke the words that he wanted to say. "You're the one meant to take Valentina's place."

Jasmine and Quentin exchanged uncomfortable glances.

Quentin cleared his throat before speaking up. "She was meant to take Valentina's place as leader of the San Francisco pride, but since _you're_ here in San Francisco," he directed at Alek, "it doesn't make sense to have two leaders."

Alek glanced at Chloe, whose face betrayed an expression of bewilderment. He then moved his gaze over to Quentin, who he was still extremely pissed off with considering the events that transpired over the past couple of hours. Finally, he set his eyes on his cousin, who still exuded strength and maturity, despite everything that just happened to her. "What is he talking about, Jasmine?" he asked in as cool a way as he could manage.

Jasmine laid her hand over his. "You're the Guardian, Alek… the Guardian at the time the Uniter was discovered. Prophecy dictates that you are the leader of the Mai." Jasmine breathed a sigh and emphasized every single one of her next few words. "_All _the Mai."


	5. Mothers

**- Mothers -**

_London. A few weeks after Alek's sixteenth birthday. _

_A black Rolls-Royce took the slight curb through the cobblestone driveway that led to the ancestral Victorian mansion owned by the Campbell family for a little over a century. The uniformed chauffer pulled over in front of the house and was about to get off to open the door for his passenger only to find that his young master was in a hurry to get off the car and wouldn't be bothered to wait for him._

_Sweat broke through Alek's brow as he slammed the car door shut and briskly hiked up the stone steps leading to the large oak door. He turned the brass knob and walked inside the house, paying no heed to the butler's customary welcome greetings. Alek immediately climbed up the grand staircase and went straight to his room on the far end of the mansion's west wing. He dropped his things on the carpeted floor and weaved his way past his room's recreational area and headed straight for his king-sized bed, where he sat on the soft, blue linen sheets and ran a trembling hand over his blonde hair. _

_He leaned his elbows over his knees for support and stared at his hands as he began clenching and unclenching his fists. He looked at his fingers and felt his heart drop when once again, claws appeared. Alek's breath hitched when all of a sudden, everything within a 500-meter radius became audible. He covered his ears with his palms, attempting to shut the noise out, but to no avail. The resounding noise overpowered his senses… deafening… consuming…_

_Horror and desperation took over the affluent teenager as he sealed his eyes shut and curled into a ball at the center of his large bed. One thought roamed his restless mind –_ What's happening to me?

**-oiOio-**

_Frederick Campbell was 35 years old when he left home to trek through Europe on some sort of adventure-seeking midlife crisis. For five years, the business genius known for bringing the Campbell business empire to the 21__st__ century, disappeared from the limelight in search for no one knew what. What everyone else knew, however, was that five years later, the prodigal son returned home, and he wasn't alone. He had with him a beautiful wife named Isobel and a three-year-old son, Alek. _

_Frederick and Isobel were married a year after he left home. In the years that followed, they traveled the world and in that time, also actively tried to have children. After failing miserably at conceiving an heir, they discovered that Isobel was barren and they could never be with child. Frederick knew that Isobel would never gain his parents' approval should they find out about this. He also knew that coming home with a barren wife would compromise his already teetering hold of his inheritance. Thus, Frederick and Isobel ended up in a Russian orphanage, where they found the blonde wide-eyed boy they would eventually claim as their own. Alek Petrov. _

_Before returning to London to present his family to his parents, Frederick went through painstaking lengths to hide his son's true identity. All records of Alek being in that orphanage disappeared. Birth certificates, medical records, all relevant legal documents and even baby pictures were doctored in order to make it appear that Isobel had given birth to one Alek Campbell in a Russian hospital. _

_Just as Frederick suspected, Benjamin and Regina Campbell, Frederick's parents, though aghast by what they saw as their son's five-year lapse of sanity, easily took him back once they saw their beautiful, blonde grandson. Alek's existence solidified Frederick's claim to his inheritance._

_Alek proved to be a charmer even at his young age and quickly stole the hearts of everyone around him. Isobel, especially, loved him dearly and treated him as if he were her own. He was the pride of his grandparents until their deaths a few years after Alek turned five. Alek was six when Frederick and Isobel decided to adopt another child – a little green-eyed, brunette baby girl named Cecil. Thus, as far as the upper crust society of London was concerned, Frederick and Isobel Campbell had one natural born son – Alek – and one adopted daughter – Cecil. _

_Ten years later, the confident, self-assured heir of the Campbell fortune found that life as he knew it was about to get radically changed and there was no one around to give him answers to the transformations that he was experiencing. After all, who would ever think that one of London's most promising and privileged youth was actually a Mai?_

**-oiOio-**

_Aside from the sound caused by the soft clinking of silver utensils against porcelain plates, dinner at the Campbell household was uncomfortably – almost eerily – silent. Frederick sat at the head of the table and leaned back on his chair as one of the servants poured him another glass of wine. His brown eyes roamed back and forth from his lovely, blonde, blue-eyed wife at the other end of the table to his son, Alek, whose gray eyes were staring into blank space. Frederick's jaw tightened at the recollection of the meeting he had with the headmaster at Alek's high school. Apparently, Alek was about to face suspension for numerous acts of misconduct. _

_Isobel kept looking at her son over the dinner table as he absent-mindedly shifted the food on his plate with his fork, his eyes distant and sullen. Since his sixteenth birthday, he was quiet and withdrawn – so unlike his typical self – the outgoing charismatic charmer who was used to using his sweetness and his looks to get his way. "Alek? You haven't eaten much," she was unable to keep herself from speaking up._

_Alek gave her a quick glance before once again dropping his eyes toward nothingness. "I'm not hungry."_

_Frederick frowned and laid his spoon on his porcelain plate. He slightly shifted on his seat to face his son. "What's been going on with you lately, Alek? You've been getting into fights… You've been skipping class… Not to mention the servants tell me that you've been having quite a volatile temper…"_

"_Frederick…" Isobel interrupted. Her husband had just returned from a prolonged business trip and from the way this conversation was going, it seemed that her hopes of having a nice family dinner would most likely be dashed._

"_No, Isobel," the enigmatic gray-haired business tycoon shook his head adamantly. "We can't keep on letting him get away with this. What has gotten into you, boy?"_

_Eleven-year-old Cecil's green eyes were shifting from her father to her mother to her brother, evidently disconcerted by the argument that would most definitely eventually come up._

_Alek clenched his jaw and looked at his sister. She was a clear reminder of what was bothering him so much – aside from the obvious fact that he was turning into a mutant of some sort. He seethed when his father unrelentingly pushed further for an explanation. _

"_You look at me when I'm talking to you, Alek, and you answer me when I ask you questions."_

_Alek slowly lifted his eyes toward the father he both feared and admired. "I'm adopted too, aren't I?" He said it with more ease than he felt. He knew he sounded cold and indifferent, but inside, he was terrified. He wanted so badly for the images in his dreams to be wrong._

_Isobel could feel the color flush out of her cheeks as she stared in disbelief at her beautiful son, recognizing the familiar look of nervousness in his steel gray eyes. "Alek…" she began to say._

_Like a flood, the images that had been plaguing Alek's dreams over the past weeks began rushing out. "You found me in some orphanage in Russia…"_

"_Nonsense," Frederick muttered. "You're our son."_

_Isobel was visibly distraught. "Alek, stop this."_

"_I look a lot like my father," Alek continued. He simply couldn't stop himself from letting out the words that he'd been keeping to himself for so long. "My mother is this black-haired beauty and I have a brother too. It's true, isn't it? Mum can't give birth now. She can't give birth then. You had to adopt me the same way you adopted Cecil. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me it isn't true. I want to know the truth about my past. I _need _to know…"_

_Frederick slammed his fist on the hardwood table. "Enough!" _

_By this time, Isobel was already sobbing and Cecil looked simply dumbfounded, her small white face ashen. _

"_What are you trying to do here, Alek?" Frederick's voice was calm and controlled. He came across as commanding and intimidating._

"_Find answers…" Alek replied in a less defiant tone._

"_Answers to what?" Frederick seethed. "You're our son. That's it. What more answers do you want?" He stood up and glared daggers at his son._

_Alek glared right back, refusing to be threatened by his father's demeanor. "How about an answer to this?" Claws popped out of the ends of his fingers, both his palms laid on the table. He began to scratch against the table made of hardwood acacia. The scratch marks he left were deep. One would have thought that some wild animal had somehow clawed through the table. Alek looked at his fingers as the sharp long nails retracted and his fingers were once again that of a normal human being's. He didn't miss the horrified expression on his mother and sister's faces. He looked back at his father… daring… challenging. "Care to explain?"_

**-oiOio-**

_Life was never the same for Alek after that night. Convinced that the Campbells' golden boy had some sort of terrible "affliction", Frederick and Isobel brought him to one specialist after another, determined to find a cure. For the next few months, it became their quest to "fix" their son. He had to stop school and was admitted to one "research center" after another, prodded and probed by countless doctors and scientists, most of which he was convinced had less interest in "curing" him than they had in experimenting with him._

_It was the most horrible year of Alek's young life. The worst part of it was that whenever he looked into his mother's sweet green eyes, he no longer saw the tenderness and care that used to be there. Most of the time, he saw pity and he found pity to be much more preferable to the look he sometimes saw her sending his way – a look that he interpreted as complete terror. It was that look that convinced him that Isobel no longer saw in him the son that she raised and loved. It was that look that convinced him that the sweet, sweet mother he loved so dearly now saw in him some sort of mutant freak. _

_Thus, when Valentina came into the picture, Alek was relieved to find answers to questions no one else was able to address. He did not think twice. He was tired of being treated like some sort of guinea pig. Embracing the ancient history of his race and taking on the identity that commanded so much respect among the Mai, Alek Campbell's relentless resolve was able to convince his parents to let go of him and allow him to become Alek Petrov, the Guardian, the protector of the long-awaited Uniter._

**-oiOio-**

Sun was shining right through the sheer white curtains of Meredith's bedroom window. She stirred on the soft queen-sized bed as she slowly awoke to full consciousness. Her immediate thought upon waking up was how to get rid of the intense, throbbing pain on her head. She blinked several times, rubbed her eyes and sat up to find herself keenly aware of a sharp sting on the back of her neck. _What happened? _The last thing she could remember was getting on the car with Whitley Rezza and nothing after that. _Was I drunk? But I didn't drink that much wine…_

She checked the small steel alarm clock on her bedside table to find out just how long she was passed out. She groaned. It was already past noon. _Chloe should be in school by now, _she thought before remembering that it was a Sunday. "Chloe?" she called out, inwardly chastising herself for once again missing out on making breakfast for her daughter.

Her bedroom door creaked open and Chloe's bright blue eyes peeked in. "Mom?"

"Hey, kiddo." Meredith gave her daughter a sad excuse for a smile, her consciousness still focused on the painful aches on both her head and her neck.

Chloe tentatively entered the bedroom, her concern getting the better of her. She came home from Union Hall just before noon, expecting a litany from her mother over her staying at a friend's house without permission, but instead, found her mom passed out on her bed, still wearing the black dress she had on the night before. "What happened to you last night?"

Meredith gently rubbed the back of her neck as she wondered to herself how she was going to explain to her daughter what she herself didn't know. "I'm not sure really… Who brought me home?"

Chloe bit her lower lip as she sat on the edge of her mother's bed. "I stayed over at Amy's last night," she lied. "I didn't want to be alone." _At least that second part is true, _Chloe told herself to ease her nagging conscience over having to lie to her mother again. "I left you messages, but…"

"It's fine." Meredith brushed Chloe's shoulder gently. "I'm glad you didn't spend the night alone."

_Oh, if you only knew who I spent the night with… _Chloe almost rolled her eyes, but was surprised at the urge she felt to smile at the thought of Alek. She pushed down the flow of emotions coming her way, not quite sure how to handle them just yet.

"I'm not sure what happened last night actually," Meredith explained laying her hands over her lap, her eyes distant. "All I remember is getting on the car with my client and nothing after that."

The information did not sit well with Chloe and though she was tempted to charge it to paranoia, after everything that's happened, she wasn't about to assume that her mother was safe from any of the Order's attacks. "Your client? I thought you were going to meet with a bunch of people…"

"All but one cancelled last minute," Meredith explained. "He was a very pleasant man. I rather enjoyed spending time with him. Mr. Whitley Rezza..."

_Rezza. _Chloe tried to keep her mouth from dropping wide open. For some reason that she couldn't quite identify, an image of the red-headed woman who shot her at the theater flashed through her mind. She remembered seeing that same woman at the art exhibit Brian brought her to – the same exhibit where she was supposed to meet his dad, but never got the chance to. A distinct feeling of unease began to gnaw at her as she made a mental note to find out exactly what Whitley Rezza looked like. Something was telling her that Whitley Rezza and Brian's father was one and the same man. The world was getting too small for Chloe's liking and she had a very bad feeling about it.

**-oiOio-**

The office smelled of whiskey and tobacco, the lighting dim, the atmosphere warm. Whitley Rezza eased himself against the brown leather recliner, impatiently tapping his foot over the hardwood floor. The fury in his eyes was unmistakable, but the redheaded woman to whom his fury was directed to was nowhere near intimidated. Instead, Simone made herself comfortable on the velvet couch across his desk and gave him her gap-toothed smile. It took all of Whitley's self-control not to throw one of his paperweights at her.

Whitley inwardly seethed, but he maintained composure in front of one of the Order's most valuable assets. Last night's plan was a miserable failure. The assassin was able to kill Valentina, but failed to do the same with the daughter and the ward – both of which have proven their ability to protect the Uniter. The Uniter still wasn't in their hands. To top it all off, his son had disappeared to who knows where. Whitley puffed a smoke from a stick of tobacco before giving Simone a look over. "Explain."

"The Uniter lost a life. One of the most prominent and threatening Mai in San Francisco is dead. What's there to explain?" Simone raised a brow and shrugged. "I say last night was a success."

Whitley gritted his teeth at her insolence, but fought for control over his temper. Wringing the woman's neck would do him no good. "Your assassin failed in his mission to execute all of Valentina's household. You have failed to apprehend the Uniter. How is that a success?"

Simone stood up and leaned over his desk. "We've weakened them… rattled them… We've made known to them what we are capable of. I say that makes last night a success." She retrieved a cigarette from her purse and lit it before taking a short puff. She blew smoke into the air and cast a judgmental glance at the man who most people found rather intimidating. Not her. She'd already handled worse people than Whitley Rezza. "While we're talking about failures, let's talk about yours. Why isn't the Uniter's mother dead yet?"

"She's no use to us dead." He had half the mind to hit the woman in front of him. "I had a chip implanted in her. Aside from being able to track her every move, with one push of a button, I can have the chip fry her brain to a crisp. I'm certain that would prove to be of good use in the future."

Simone raised a brow. "I'm impressed." She stuck the cigarette between the side of her lips and began to clap mockingly at him. "See? We've covered good ground, haven't we? The Uniter and the Mai don't stand a chance." She pulled the cigarette out of her mouth and pressed it against the ash tray on his table. She straightened up and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Whitley asked, annoyed that she would motion to leave before waiting to get dismissed.

The auburn-haired wench turned her head toward him. "You were right about Zane failing in his mission. Jasmine and Alek Petrov should be dead right now."

His brows quirked up. He always thought that Simone was rather fond of the dark-haired young Mai, whom Whitley often called her pet. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Kill him," Simone shrugged, not an ounce of empathy for the young man, who Whitley was certain considered her as a mother, in her cold eyes. "My little pet has outgrown his use. It's time to end him and the rest of his pathetic race."

**-oiOio-**

The old woman's heart ached as she watched the peaceful, unconscious form of her grandson on the large canopy bed. _It won't take long now, _she thought as she brushed a hand over his pale white cheek. _The blood of Serqet running in your veins will save you and immunize you from the Mai's venom. After that, the Uniter's kiss will no longer be able to harm you. _She breathed a sigh, forlorn over the harsh reality that she couldn't protect Brian from all of this. If Brian were to survive, he couldn't remain in his state of innocence and naïveté. He had to know the truth.

Olivia Rezza was convinced that it was destined that Brian should have what he had with the Uniter. She resolved to herself that it was her task to make sure that he put the knowledge of what he is to good use by using it to win the Uniter over to their side. _God forbid I play a hand in corrupting you the way I did your father. _This time, she was determined to do it right and not make the same mistakes with her grandson the way she did with her son. _I hope you never feel the sting of losing the woman you love the way Whitley lost Evelyn. _

She sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked the back of Brian's hand. This time, she spoke out loud, hoping that he could hear her. "You are Selki, Brian… son of Serqet, the scorpion goddess, the giver of magical protection and the breather of life." She heaved a deep sigh, feeling a deep conviction stir within her.

_Win over the Uniter, my grandson. We need her on our side if we are to succeed. _

A satisfied smile crept on her face, remembering how in love Brian and Chloe seemed to be the last time she saw them together. She had no doubt in her mind that once Chloe finds out that her kiss could not kill Brian, nothing and no one could stop the two lovebirds from being together.

There was just one hitch that Olivia didn't quite take into consideration. It was the tall, blonde Mai who was slowly, but surely, making his way into Chloe's heart.


	6. Revelations

**- Revelations -**

_On that "Beautiful Day"…_

_Like two tigresses, both fierce and proud, mother and daughter held their ground in a confrontation that they knew was a long time coming. Anybody who entered the Petrov apartment that afternoon would've easily felt the electrifying tension emanating from Valentina and Jasmine as the emotions that were pent up over the past months began bubbling to the surface._

_"It's about priorities," Valentina reiterated, knowing full well the pressure she was putting her daughter under._

_Jasmine briefly mused to herself if there was even an ounce of Valentina's being that held any affection toward her. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that she was used to it – that this was her norm – it still hurt deeply whenever Valentina made her feel irresponsible or incompetent. "Well, yours are fairly clear," she shot back at her mother._

_The tall Italian woman felt her heart break as she once again came face-to-face with her shortcomings as a mother. Staring at her lovely daughter, a familiar pain gripped Valentina. _She reminds me so much of Erik. Strong, beautiful, fierce…_ Valentina took a step forward and looked directly at Jasmine's big brown eyes, not missing the hint of defiance in the young woman's stance. "It's hard. I know…" she started to say, concern and understanding evident in the way she said each word "…but you're gonna have to take my place one day and I just want to make sure that you're ready." She pursed her lips in a bittersweet smile, her dark eyes softening._

_Jasmine's striking wide eyes stared back at the tall, imposing woman, sadness traced on her face. "So I can never have a normal life?"_

_"For us," Valentina responded firmly, "this is normal."_

_Jasmine clenched her jaw and shook her head lightly. She thought of Chloe and a pang of jealousy hit her. Chloe, who had to bear the immense weight of being the Uniter, still managed to have some veneer of a normal life. _Why can't I? All my life it's been about my duty to the Mai._ Jasmine looked away from her mother and stared at some obscure distant object. She involuntarily flinched when Valentina held her hand. _

_"Come…" the Mai leader coaxed. "Sit with me. We need to talk."_

_The young Mai was in no mood to talk, but she followed her mother into the living room anyway and sat stiffly on the couch beside her mother. Jasmine struggled to look her mother in the eye. Everything inside her was in rebellion against Valentina, against the way her own mother was treating her._

_Valentina tried to gently stroke her face but Jasmine pulled away. Valentina sighed, her shoulder sagging in surrender, as if giving up on her attempt to appease her daughter. "I need you to understand how important it is that you're prepared, Jasmine. With the Uniter found, this is only the beginning of our troubles. I could die anytime and the burden of guiding Chloe and Alek will fall on your shoulders, because there's no one else I can trust to do it apart from you."_

_The part about being trusted by her mother would've been healing balm, but part of what Valentina said caused Jasmine's brows to meet in a confused furrow. "Chloe and Alek?" she asked before emphasizing, "Alek?"_

_"This is important, so I need you to listen carefully," Valentina solemnly said, sounding like her usual all-knowing and wise self. "You know that your father was the Guardian."_

_"Yes," Jasmine nodded. "You've told me that over and over again. He was the last of the Guardians…"_

_"No. He wasn't. After Erik died, Alek was named the Guardian just before his family was murdered." _

_Jasmine's face paled at the realization of what the revelation implied. Her thoughts began roaming her head in an incomprehensible jumble as she tried to recall everything she knew about Bastet's prophecy regarding the Uniter and the Guardian. "What exactly does that mean for us?" she eventually asked, knowing that Valentina would give her the information she needed._

_"The reason I've been away so much is I've been trying to get the Mai leaders to acknowledge Alek's right to lead. The prophecy from Bastet clearly indicated that the Guardian at the time of the Uniter's discovery must be proclaimed leader of the Mai. It was done to ensure that he would have all the means necessary to protect the Uniter." Valentina paused to allow time for Jasmine to take it all in. "You know Chloe more than I do, but I know her well enough to see her compassion and empathy toward others. That girl would sooner sacrifice all her lives to save the innocent. Life is precious to her. And that is one of the things that make her worthy of being the Uniter. Her stubbornness and recklessness also puts her – and others – in danger. After meeting Chloe, I understood why the Guardian is necessary. Bastet placed an inclination in every Guardian that makes him instinctively want to seek and secure the Uniter's best interests. It is part of who he is."_

_"That sounds like Alek alright…" Jasmine muttered more to herself than to her mother, reminded of the kind of effect Chloe had on Alek from the moment he first laid eyes on the pretty young blonde. "Then I assume that if the prophecy was interpreted correctly, Alek's strength will increase every time Chloe loses a life? I assume that's Bastet's way of better equipping him to protect her?"_

_Valentina slightly lifted her shoulders. "That is so." She looked at her daughter, impressed that Jasmine knew about the prophecy so well. _She's far better equipped than I give her credit for. Perhaps she's more prepared than I think._ Valentina sighed. "Jasmine, I know I put a lot of pressure on you, but I do it to push you to be the best you can be."_

_Jasmine frowned. These lines coming from her mother were getting a little old. Jasmine wondered if her mother actually thought that it was comforting for her to hear those words. As far as she was concerned, it translated to 'be thankful that I'm pressuring you, because it will prepare you for more pressure'. Jasmine was already expecting the conversation to be over – heaven knows she wanted it to end – but was pleasantly surprised when Valentina continued._

_"I'm proud of you, Jasmine. I don't say that enough, but I am…" _

_The sincere look on her mother's face made Jasmine's eyes light up. It meant the world to her to hear any compliment from her mother, and to hear Valentina say something like that was unexpected and made Jasmine come to the awareness that she'd been longing to hear her mother say that all her life._

_Valentina brushed a hand against her daughter's soft black hair and kissed her forehead before saying in a barely audible whisper, "I love you."_

_At that, Jasmine's heart had to melt. It was exactly what she needed to hear. Throwing poise and composure to the wind, she found herself throwing her arms around her mother's neck. Valentina was taken aback but upon recovering, smiled and held her daughter close. Despite her anxiety over the unknown whereabouts of the Uniter, for once, she allowed herself to drop her guard and just enjoy her daughter's company. After they pulled away from each other's arms, she asked Jasmine about Zane and found herself inwardly smiling at the red blush on Jasmine's cheeks as she answered her mother's questions. For the first time in her entire life, Jasmine felt like she had a normal mother-daughter conversation with Valentina as she gushed over the dashing Mai from New York, whom she was starting to form serious feelings for. Nothing could've prepared either of them for the betrayal that was about to go their way._

**-oiOio-**

With his dark blue hood pulled over his head and his hands snuggly pocketed on his low rise jeans, Alek jogged down the several flights of stairs that would eventually lead him out of Union Hall. He could've taken the elevator, but he wanted to avoid the Mai littered all over their headquarters. The news that he was now recognized as the Mai leader – not only of San Francisco, but of every other Mai in the world – had broken out like wildfire. Apparently, pesky Mai gossipmongers lost no time in spreading the information. How they even found out about it totally escaped Alek, but he was certain that things were about to get incredibly weird for him.

After Jasmine and Quentin (whose very existence still immensely annoyed Alek) explained to him what all the talk about being the Guardian implied and how that made him the leader of all Mai, he was simply too dumbfounded by the whole idea to try and figure out what it all meant. At that point, all he knew was that there were things that had to be taken care of, people that had to be found and there was no one there to handle the situation aside from him, so he went about ordering people around to do what he thought had to be done, thankful that Chloe was there to keep Jasmine company while he was going about the business of trying to put everything in order.

He wasn't really aware of the kind of impression he left on people that morning. He was simply too preoccupied to notice the awe that he inspired in the Mai who he had to push around to do his bidding. In fact, most of his efforts that day went toward attempting to set aside the thoughts and feelings that he had toward the Uniter. The gratifying feeling of knowing that she needed him could not wash away the aftertaste of hearing her profess her love to Brian the night before. It still hurt and no matter how Alek tried to suppress his emotions and prioritize his obligations, he could not rid himself of that ache in his chest whenever he saw or thought of Chloe.

_Brian's gone now, _he told himself as he stepped out of Union Hall and drew a deep breath of San Francisco air. _It's your chance to win her over. _Alek wandered along the sidewalk, unconsciously starting one of his pensive, aimless walks. He realized then what he hated most about the idea of winning Chloe over now that her human was out of the way. _I'll never know for sure if she really loves me or if I'm just some rebound to replace him. _Alek gritted his teeth. _Why am I doing this to myself? She's my responsibility… nothing else. That's all she is and that's all she could ever be. I'm being a fool for loving her and for thinking that she could ever return that love. _Alek wanted to snap himself out of this lovelorn state he somehow landed himself in. _Damn it, Petrov. Since when did you turn into such a dismal sap? _Heaving a sigh, he decided for himself that he'd had enough of the drama. If he were to fulfill his duty as the Guardian, he couldn't let his emotions get the best of him. Not only for his sake, but also for Chloe's.

Thus, with him being so busy trying to shove away all those chastising thoughts about him being the pathetic fool on the losing end of an unrequited love, Alek didn't realize that his late afternoon walk wasn't as aimless as it seemed, because it eventually led him to Chloe's front yard, preparing to jump up the ledge that would lead to her bedroom window, wondering to himself what he had to do to win her heart.

**-oiOio-**

Worry etched the fine lines of Chloe's beautiful face. Something about her mother spending the night with Whitley Rezza did not sit right with her. A Rezza being with her mother last night of all nights made her question if it was just coincidence that it happened after everything that went on with Valentina, Jasmine and Brian.

_Brian. _The name itself made unknown crevices of her heart ache with guilt and anguish. Finding that any thought of her lost love was still too painful, too fresh a memory for her to entertain, she tried to set aside her worries over anything or anyone that had to do with a Rezza, and tried to shift her concern toward the raging migraine that Meredith was trying not to complain about.

She snuggled with her mother in the master bedroom for most of the afternoon, relishing the company, until Meredith finally fell asleep. Chloe would've slept right there if she didn't remember that she hadn't talked to Amy and Paul since they parted ways the night before. Her phone was in her room, so she gingerly pulled away from her mom's embrace and tiptoed to her room. _Why am I being so quiet? It's not like Mom will wake up if the bedroom door creaks… _Despite her thoughts, Chloe still tried to get to her room as silently as she could and was thankful that she did, because she arrived to find a rather unexpected sight.

It was Alek. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, the old guitar that Chloe kept, but never played, on his lap. He was tuning it, and for some reason that was completely unbeknownst to Chloe, she stood fixated by the tranquil look in his gray eyes as he focused on the instrument, stray strands of his tousled blonde hair over his right eye. He quickly finished tuning it and began plucking a melody. Chloe listened for a few seconds, her eyes set on his long nimble fingers expertly playing one chord after another. She leaned her head on the doorpost as she watched him, completely forgetting why she returned to her room in the first place.

_Will he ever cease to surprise me?_ After Jasmine and Quentin explained what being _the_ Guardian meant for Alek, he seemed to just take it in, accept it and act on it. By the time Chloe left for home, he already assembled several teams – one to hunt down Zane, another to find the woman who shot Chloe, another to amp up the security in their apartment and another to handle the funeral arrangements for Valentina. He seemed to instinctively know what to do and how to do it.

Chloe wrinkled her nose as she went through a bout of self introspection. _I'm used to feeling two things for Alek – attraction and annoyance. Now, there's this whole bunch of other emotions that I don't quite know how to handle. _A list of the sentiments she was beginning to have for Alek Petrov began to form in her mind, the top three being gratefulness, admiration and respect. _When did this happen? _She fought the urge to scratch her head. _How could it not happen? He was amazing this morning. He's amazing now. _Her focus began to return to Alek playing her guitar before her eyes inadvertently roamed to his lips. She blushed when she felt her stomach flutter at the reminder of what it felt like to have those lips press against hers. A soft sigh escaped her mouth, giving her presence away to the handsome Mai on her bed.

Alek stopped playing and looked up. A proud smile formed on his lips when he realized that she'd been watching him. "On Guardian duty, Chloe? It's _me_ who's supposed to be watching you."

She straightened herself and ignoring his smart aleck remark, shifted her gaze from him to the guitar. "I didn't know you could play."

A familiar impish glint hovered over his eyes. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me," he shrugged.

_True enough,_ Chloe nodded as she sat beside him. There was a momentary silence as she once again lost herself in her thoughts She still had a hangover from the side of Alek that was introduced to her that morning – the Alek who held her in his arms all night long, the Alek who whispered words of comfort to her that morning, the Alek who showed an admirable strength that was beyond his years, the Alek who was now leader of the Mai. Guardian and leader of the Mai. _Am I supposed to treat him like Valentina now?_ She began wondering to herself if she should curtsy, but it was too amusing a thought to mull over, so she pushed it away before giving in to the temptation to giggle. _This is just…_ she searched her mind for the right word …_awkward._ Eventually, she managed to speak her mind. "How does this Mai leader thing actually work with us, Alek?"

He raised a brow and one eye squinted at her as if to put her under scrutiny. "_Us_?"

"You know what I mean…" Chloe said, wondering why on earth she was so nervous around him.

Alek laid the guitar on the floor and placed one hand over the bed, so that he was leaning closer to Chloe. "It's rather simple really… I'm the leader. That means I lead, you follow." He shrugged for emphasis, before concluding, "Simply put, you have to do everything I tell you to do."

It took a couple of seconds before Chloe was able to process what he just said. The relief she felt inside upon realizing that his boyish, egotistical side was still there blew the wind out of her. It swiftly dawned on her that though she liked and held nothing but admiration for the side of him she saw earlier that day, part of her was afraid of completely losing this self-confident, slightly annoying side of him. _He's just not Alek without it. _She found out for herself just how much of him she was able to bring herself to accept and actually _like_ over the past months. Acting on the feeling of relief that swept over her, Chloe breathed a sigh and impulsively threw her arms around his neck. She nuzzled her cheek against the nook of his neck, breathing in his masculine scent as she clung to him tightly, as if afraid that if she loosened her hold, he would somehow disappear.

Alek creased his brows in surprise. He was pretty certain that he would get a smartass retort from her with that last jibe and was readying himself for a session of banter with Chloe King. A tight hug certainly wasn't what he expected. _Not that I'm complaining…_ He gently wrapped his arms around her small waist and entangled his fingers with her soft curls. _Damn… she smells intoxicatingly good._ He found himself glad that his walk somehow brought him to her house, shooing away the Mai on Uniter duty so he could take over.

When she slowly began to pull away, he had half the mind to pull her back and just _hold_ her, but he reluctantly let go. Their eyes locked for a moment, before he slit his eyes at her and inquisitively asked, "So does the hug mean that you agree to do everything I tell you to do?"

In response, Chloe lifted one blonde brow and slapped her hand across his arm. Hard.

"Ow!" he flinched as he held a hand over the assaulted area, stunned by the unexpected attack. "What was that for?"

"There, there, Alek," Chloe teased, a naughty pout on her face. "Don't cry."

He looked at her like she was crazy. _Bloody hell… the grief has driven her mad._

A smile crept on her soft pink lips as her bright blue eyes mirrored the same impish glint that grazed his eyes earlier. "I don't care if you're the leader of every single Mai in the entire universe, Alek Petrov. You're not the boss of me."

Dropping his hand to the side, and recognizing the familiar banter that he only seemed to be able to do with her, Alek slightly bent forward so that his face was a mere inches from hers. He quirked his lips sideways. "Oh, but I am, Chloe King." he chuckled, feeling relieved that their relationship – whatever it was – still had some semblance of normal. It was a welcome reprieve from all the changes being forcefully thrown their way.

"You. Wish." she quipped with flair as she lifted a blonde brow at him. _Yeah… the good ol' C.B. side of him is back alright… I have a feeling this whole Alek being the leader thing will come bite me in the back someday._She pressed a hand against his shoulder to push him back before tilting her head to the side. "Why are you here again?"

"Because admit it, sweet lioness…" He didn't even miss a beat. His response was instant, almost as if he'd prepared it beforehand. The astounding arrogance that only Alek seemed to be able to pull off with such charisma permeated his every word. "You want me here."

For reasons Chloe couldn't comprehend, the wide grin that formed on his handsome face warmed her heart and caused her spine to tingle. _Since when does Alek Petrov affect me this way?_ The answer to her question was plain and simple – he had that effect on her every single time she was with him. The only difference was that this time, she wasn't too annoyed, too distracted or too emotional to notice.

Plus he was actually right. She had to admit it to herself. _I want him here._

**-oiOio-**

The night was dark and the moon was nowhere in sight as a shadowy hooded figure snuck inside the window leading to Chloe's bedroom. Years of experience already trained him to slip into the homes of unassuming targets without making the slightest noise. Thus, he was able to reach the edge of the girl's bed nimbly and quietly. He loomed over the peaceful sleeping form of the Uniter and simply stared for a few moments, his hands tucked on the front pocket of his hoodie. He still wasn't sure what he was doing there or what he intended to do. He just knew that he had to find her.

Alek was watching from the rooftop as the stranger, whose face was hidden by the hood over his head, made his way up the ledge and into Chloe's bedroom. The Guardian lost no time in transferring from his comfortable perch on the roof across the street from Chloe's house to the ledge that led to her window. Alek was able to slide through the window and step into her room just as silently as the intruder was able to. Alek's chest rose and fell with his steady breathing as he watched the trespasser stand over Chloe's bed. Every protective instinct he had for her was going on overdrive. _Touch her and you won't live to regret it, _was his silent threat.

The stranger began to move and that was all it took for Alek's adrenaline to spike up and cause him to lunge toward the unwelcome visitor. _Whoever he is, he has no right to just sneak into a sleeping teenager's room this way – Chloe or otherwise. _Catching the intruder by surprise, Alek was easily able to tackle him and pin him to the ground. "Who the hell are you?" he hissed as he pushed the hood away to uncover the man's identity.

Alek's mouth slightly dropped open upon seeing the familiar face lying beneath him. Without a second thought, Alek muttered a curse under his breath, clenched his jaw and slammed his fist against the intruder's jaw. One thought circled Alek's mind: _I have to keep him away from Chloe. _


	7. The Brother

**- The Brother -**

_Less than seventeen years ago._

_The small white face of the little boy was wet with tears. His cheeks were flushed red with exhaustion, beads of sweat falling from his brow. The dull ache on his arms swelled from the heavy burden he had to quickly heave up the five flights of narrow staircases. His legs throbbed in pain with every urgent step he took. Despite it all, Zane, with his wide brown eyes and rumpled dark hair, trudged on._

_There was no sign of fright in the gray eyes of the young child he was carrying... just childlike curiosity. Alek was still too young to be aware of the cruel slaughter that was occurring within the walls of the building they lived in. Zane, however, wasn't. At his tender age of five, adrenaline was pumping through his veins, the wild-eyed expression on his mother's face etched on his mind, fueling his flight._

"_Go, Zane. Remember what we told you. Save Alek," was her alarming order before shoving Alek in his arms, a clear indication that he had to accomplish what they prepared him to do in order to save the Guardian. _

_If anybody took the time to stop and notice, they would've agreed that what five-year-old Zane did, clutching two-year-old Alek tightly as he climbed those steps, was nothing short of heroic. However, a blood-spattered massacre of the unwitting Mai was in the process of being expertly executed. Thus, no one could've known. Even little Zane was too preoccupied with completing the mission his parents had given him to really pay attention to how impossibly difficult his task was. _

_After Alek was named the Guardian, Greig and Emilia made sure to prepare Zane, who was old enough to understand, for such a time as this, and they did not fail in training the child to accomplish the task at hand and effectively protect his little brother. Thus, after what seemed like hours, Zane finally reached the last step and non-too-gently set Alek on the floor. Small hands clasped together, Zane pulled Alek inside the apartment he recognized as home. He led the smaller boy toward the master bedroom where he pulled aside the round worn-out rug covering the hatch on the wooden floor. He lifted Alek up and quickly placed the little boy inside. Alek's gray eyes stared up at him with fear as the child nervously nibbled his fingers in dread._

"_Be quiet, Alek," Zane warned, hoping that Alek wouldn't bawl out in tears the moment he closed the hatch. As an afterthought, Zane picked up the little toy truck littered on the floor and handed it over to Alek, whose eyes were now moist with tears. The favorite toy seemed to pacify the toddler. Still trying to catch his breath, Zane pushed the hatch shut, leaving the two-year-old in darkness, before throwing the rug over the secret compartment. He listened intently for any signs of Alek crying, but was relieved and astounded that Alek didn't make a sound. _Maybe he knows too… _Zane thought. Even at his tender age, he was keenly aware of the graveness of the situation. _

_Zane sat over the rug, trying to recall what else he had to do. The sick feeling on his stomach wouldn't leave and he hated it. He wanted his parents. He wanted to hear Greig and Emilia tell him that he did well – just like all those other times when he would successfully accomplish what they asked him to do. His heart leapt with anticipation when the door to the bedroom creaked open. Expecting to find his mother's beautiful face smiling at him, his face fell when it was a tall, strange woman with shiny red hair who emerged from the door. The very sight of her caused him to freeze with fear._

_Simone raised a brow at the little child sitting on the center of the ugly tattered rug. She clutched the knife in her hand, her hatred for the Mai purging any form of mercy she could possibly have for the little boy. However, for reasons unknown to her, just as she was about to end the young Mai's life, there was something about the expression on his face that made her hesitate. She sat in front of the boy to inspect him. There was fear in the child's brown eyes as he sat stiffly on the floor, but the expression on his small face was brave – almost defiant. Instantly, she saw in him someone she could mold and groom to be a rather formidable weapon. Thus, Simone picked the boy up and carried him down the steps that he had determinedly trudged through only minutes ago. _

_Bloody, lifeless bodies were strewn all over the places that they passed through. Even years later, nightmares would haunt him and Zane would find himself revisiting the horror of that day. He would hear the sounds of steel slashing through flesh and the cries of the innocent dying. He would smell the stench of death as if it had somehow embedded itself on his nostrils. Most of all, he would remember the sight of Alek staring up at him with his innocent gray eyes, holding that plastic toy truck between his small trembling hands, visibly frightened as Zane closed the door to the hatch that would hide the Guardian from those who were hell bent on finishing him._

_For days and days after the merciless carnage that he'd stood witness to, Zane's only saving grace was the imagined pictures of those he loved that he concocted in his young mind – the most special of which was an image of the smiles on Greig and Emilia's faces as they looked at him and said, "You did well, son."_

**-oiOio-**

_A full day had already passed before the Russian police came to investigate the mysterious blood-curdling holocaust that occurred within the walls of that tenement building. There seemed to be no survivors, but they had to check every room, every apartment to make sure. Their job – one that had to be done with precision – was what led them to one of the apartments, which was so hauntingly void of life, where they heard a small voice whimpering along with the sound of soft thumping on wood. It didn't take them long to discover the terrified toddler, hidden cozily on a dark hatch beneath the floor boards, clutching a plastic toy truck between his small fists. _

_Alek Petrov was recorded as the sole survivor of the tragic murders. And it was all thanks to the older brother whose memory was hidden somewhere in his young subconscious, never to be remembered until circumstances forcefully yanked the memories back._

**-oiOio-**

"_You were right about Zane failing in his mission. Jasmine and Alek Petrov should be dead right now." _

The words streaming through the headphones sent shivers running all over Zane's body as he ran a hand over his dark curls, realizing what a fool he'd been to think that Simone, the woman who raised him, actually held any affection for him. He balled his fists, his soul writhing in pained anguish as reality sank into him. _I've been living a complete lie._

"_What are you going to do to him?" _came the deep, masculine voice coming from the red-haired bitch's co-conspirator.

Zane held his breath, thankful that he had the foresight to plant that bug on Simone after having failed in the most important mission she'd ever entrusted him with. _He's my brother. She sent me to kill my brother. _He was a well-trained assassin – one of the Order's best. He was emotionless, except for a deep-seated hatred for his own kind, engrained in him from childhood after he was led to believe that it was the Mai that murdered his family. Whatever memories he had were pushed back to his subconscious, never bothering him save for childhood dreams that he'd learned to ignore, until that fateful day when Jasmine introduced him to Alek. That night and every night since then, images of his past plagued his dreams, playing clear scenes from the childhood that had been stolen from him. His stomach turned at the realization of what Simone did to him. She took away his humanity and now he was about to find out just how much value he held in her eyes.

"_Kill him... My little pet has outgrown his use. It's time to end him and the rest of his pathetic race."_

_Kill him... My little pet… _The words circled his mind before his thoughts began to spin out of control. Panic racked his entire being as he realized that his days were numbered. He used to be one of the Order's most valuable hunters. Now he was the one they were going to hunt down. Desperate to survive, Zane found himself recalling the affection and hope in Valentina's words as she spoke of the Uniter's destiny and seemingly limitless compassion. Knowing that he couldn't outrun the Order, he determined to do the only thing he could think of doing. _Go kamikaze on them. I'm not going down without a fight. _The distinct determinedness that once grazed Emilia Petrov's brown eyes now crossed Zane's as a devious smirk crossed his lips. _What better way is there to screw the Order than to help the Uniter? _

**-oiOio-**

Her keen feline senses jolted Chloe awake, alerting her that she had company and that danger was nearby. Her heart was beating at lightning pace as she kept her eyes shut and remained unmoving, searching her thoughts for the proper course of action. _I have to bring this person down as silently as possible, _she thought, concerned about waking her mother up. Just as soon as the thought entered her mind, she sensed a quick movement from the intruder before hearing a loud thump on her bedroom floor. _So much for keeping it as silent as possible... _

"Who the hell are you?" came a faint whispered hiss, alerting her that there was more than one person intruding the privacy of her room.

_Is that Alek? _She wondered, recognizing the familiar British accent. Before she could focus enough to try and center her hearing on his heartbeat to ascertain if it was really him, the sound of someone getting punched drove her adrenaline to full gear. In a panic, Chloe let pure instinct take over. She leapt out of her bed and pushed the first person she came in contact with against the wall, causing a louder thump. She closed her eyes and groaned at the noise she just made. _Chloe… clumsy… you better pray that didn't wake your mother up… _She opened her eyes and to her shock, her Mai night vision revealed that she had just pinned Alek on the wall adjacent to the end of her bed. He was giving her a very distinct glare that clearly said, 'That was one idiot move, Chloe.'

Chloe grimaced and stepped back, letting go of Alek before turning her head to the side. She could feel her blood boil at the sight of Zane standing by the window, looking fairly relaxed as he laid a hand over the windowsill, a maddening smirk on his face. Chloe noted the small cut on the corner of his lips and realized that Alek had just hit the intruder. "Oops," she whispered, glancing at her protector, "Sorry."

If he weren't so shaken over finding Zane inside Chloe's room, Alek would've found the expression on her face cute. Instead, extremely bothered by what the murderer had in mind that he would pay Chloe a visit at this time of night, Alek willed himself to focus on the situation at hand. "Go check on your mom, Chloe," he instructed. "I'll take care of him."

"It's the Uniter I came to talk to," Zane jeered. "Not you, little brother."

Chloe's cat-like irises darkened with shock. She didn't know whether to be appalled by Zane's audacity showing up there or by the fact that he just called Alek 'little brother'. She looked questioningly at Alek and was taken aback by what she saw. Alek's fists were tightly clenched. Every muscle of his well-built physique flexed. His nostrils were flaring and his eyes – in its cat-like form – were screaming bloody murder. The only word Chloe could think of to describe him was _menacing. _

"If you want to talk to her, you have to go through me first," Alek quipped, looking like he was just about ready to snap Zane's neck in two as he took a step forward protectively shielding Chloe from Zane. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just rip your heart out right now." Alek's voice was deep and sounded even more menacing than he looked.

Zane was unaffected. He just shrugged. "Think of the bloody mess you'll leave on your girlfriend's floor."

His impervious, laid back arrogance reminded Chloe of Alek and she found herself piqued at Zane's claim of brotherhood. She glanced at Alek, whose back was turned to her.

Alek could feel Chloe's eyes on him. "What are you still doing here, Chloe? Didn't I tell you to go?"

"And miss out on all this?" Chloe shook her head. _If we woke mom up, she'd be here by now._ From behind him, she could imagine the annoyed look on Alek's eyes. Slowly backing away from Alek, she motioned toward the light switch and flicked it open so that a flood of fluorescent light filled her room. "Night vision's good and all, but…" She locked eyes with Zane and something about the look in his brown eyes told her that he was sincere, if not a little afraid.

"I came to warn you about…" he began to say.

He didn't get to continue whatever it was he was planning to say, because incensed by Zane's nonchalance, Alek speedily lunged forward, pushing Zane against the space on the wall beside Chloe's window. Every part of him wanted to kill Zane, maim him, inflict on him some form of major bodily harm for what he did to Valentina and Jasmine and for the threat he was now posing on Chloe. Alek's breaths came in gasps as anger began to consume him. He placed a hand over Zane's neck. "I told you… you don't get to talk to her unless you go through me first."

Undaunted by the display of testosterone, Chloe grimaced as she puzzled over her pulse beginning to even out. She was no longer sensing danger. _These are the times when I wish my being an empath worked on Mai._

Zane met Alek's glower with one challenging glare. "Tell me, Alek… are all the toy truck's wheels still intact?"

Alek felt the blood drain from his face at the reference to the precious object that he owned ever since he could remember. _How the hell does he know about that? _His grip on Zane slightly weakened. _Could he really be my brother?_

"You remember, don't you?" Zane asked. "My dreams have been reminding me. Is it the same for you?"

Chloe's forehead wrinkled in confusion, now more intrigued than alarmed by what was going on. "What's he talking about, Alek?"

Zane cast a sideward glance at Chloe before assuring Alek, "I'm not here to harm her. I came to warn her."

Snapping to attention, Alek pushed Zane back, hating the fact that the traitor was getting to him. "Warn her?"

"Her mother's migraine? Not just any ordinary headache…"

Chloe's intrigue quickly reverted back to alarm. This time, it was her who tensed up and every part of her being wanted to cause Zane some serious pain. "What did you to do to her?"

Zane scowled and feigned annoyance. "I didn't do anything to her." He shifted his gaze to Alek. "If you tell my little brother here to let me go, I'll tell you what I know."

Alek was unrelenting. "No," he said firmly, gripping Zane's neck tighter. "You tell her what she needs to know and _maybe_ I'll let you go."

"Fine." It was Zane who gave in. "It would help if you don't choke me to death first."

Alek grinded his teeth and let out a low growl before loosening his hold on the older guy's neck.

"You've gotten stronger," Zane mentioned, wanting to jibe about Chloe losing a life, but, loving his own life and seeing Alek's seeming determination to end it, decided not to. He then told them about the conversation he overheard Simone have with that guy who was supposedly one of the Order's most affluent financial backers. "I forgot the guy's first name. William or Wilkes or whatever, but his last name is definitely Rezza," Zane eventually finished.

Alek raised a brow at the name. _Rezza… _He shot a momentary look at Chloe. Something about the expression on her face and the way she swallowed hard told him she knew something.

Chloe uncomfortably shifted her weight from one foot to the other, biting her lip at the mention of the very loaded surname. "My mother was with Whitley Rezza last night," she revealed.

"That's the name. Whitley," Zane verified.

"You didn't think to tell me?" Alek asked Chloe.

"I meant to," she tried to explain, "but so much has been happening…" She let her shoulders sag in resignation. "I guess I forgot."

"Awesome," Zane interrupted. "Now that you know, maybe you can let me go?" he addressed Alek who still had him pinned to the wall.

"Sure thing," Alek responded before letting go then hitting Zane unconscious.

Chloe's mouth dropped open as Zane's body sank to the ground. "What did you do that for?"

"He killed Valentina and stabbed Jasmine." Alek cast a cold glare at Zane's motionless form.

_Yeah... that's as good a reason as any I guess, _Chloe thought to herself. There was a short pause before she tentatively asked, "Is he really your brother?"

Alek shook his head, wanting to say no, but found himself saying, "I don't know" instead. "I'll get some Mai to take him to Union Hall for interrogation. We need to find out if any of the things he's saying actually checks out. Do you have any rope? We'll need to tie him down while waiting for them to get here."

"I'll check…" She made her way to the storage closet and searched for rope, the implications of what Zane revealed just sinking in to her and she found herself consumed by anxiety for her mother and intrigued by the ever-growing enigma that was Alek. Unable to find any rope, she settled for a roll of packing tape, hoping that would do. By the time she returned to her room, however, two guys were already carrying Zane out her window.

"That was fast," Chloe mumbled.

Alek turned his head her way. The truth was that he had three Mai assigned to Uniter duty at all times, but he didn't see any reason for Chloe having to find out about that. "I asked Liam to look after you for the rest of the night," he informed her. "I want to handle _this_," he glanced pointedly at Zane, "myself."

She bit her lip before asking, "What about my mom?"

"If he's telling the truth, we'll find a way to help your mother," Alek assured. "Everything will be alright, Chloe. Trust me."

Chloe nodded and forced a smile, knowing full well that at that moment, there was no one else she trusted to handle the situation more than him.

"Oh and yes…" he said just before climbing out of her window, "Chloe…" A deadpan expression was on his face. "Next time you want to pin me down somewhere, make sure there isn't a killer nearby." He then smirked and proceeded to leave through her window, disappearing into the night.

How he could still manage to say something like that after everything that just happened in the past half hour was beyond Chloe. As she stared at the spot where he was standing only moments ago, she found herself smiling at the one explanation she could conjure to explain his behavior: _What more explanation do I need? He's Alek Petrov._


	8. Broken Little Toy

**- Broken Little Toy -**

_The day at the fair…_

_It was a beautiful day. One of cotton candy, photo booths, funnel cakes and that blissful sense of mirth and romance almost tangibly felt in the air. Alek didn't know whose idea this triple date thing was. He actually thought the entire notion was lame at first, but Jasmine talked him into it with the convincing argument that it would give him a chance to just kick back, relax and have fun with Chloe. Everything was going great until some dratted fool – Paul, who else – gleefully suggested they take a ride on the Ferris wheel. Thus, there they were… lining up to get on the one ride the mere sight of which gave Alek the chills._

_Chloe wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it for herself, but there it was… plain as that beautiful sunny day… revealing to her the truth: the look of abject terror on Alek's face as he stared at the Ferris wheel they were about to board. "No. Way," she said with a wide grin, playfully nudging Alek's narrow waist with her elbow. "You're actually scared."_

"_Me? Scared?" Alek grimaced and scoffed. "As if that's possible…" Yet he took one look at the ride and a serious expression of fright once again covered his face. He gulped. "I hate enclosed spaces." He tried to mumble the words incoherently, but Chloe heard and understood. The Ferris wheel wasn't like the two-seater, open-air type, but was of the type that had individual cage-like compartments hanging from the wheel. _

_The idea of Alek being afraid of anything was something new to her and as they lined up to board the ride, which was a child's ride as far as she was concerned, Chloe found herself intrigued by his adverse reaction to the idea of getting on it. "We don't have to ride it if…"_

_He glared at her, his ever-present male ego taking over. "Everyone's getting on it… why shouldn't we?"_

_Chloe glanced at the other couples accompanying them. Amy was jumping up and down excitedly, giggling over something that Paul just whispered to her ear. Jasmine, on the other hand, had her arms wrapped around Zane's waist, contentedly leaning her head against his chest. He planted a kiss over the top of her head and brushed a hand against her shiny black hair. _

_Jasmine caught Chloe looking at her. She glanced quickly at Alek before mouthing to Chloe, 'He's ter-ri-fied,' serving to intrigue Chloe further._

_Her typical caring, empathic side taking over, Chloe slipped a hand over Alek's, her fingers intertwining with his. She focused on his heartbeat, which was beating faster than usual. She squeezed his hand and waited until the rhythms of his heart began to steady. _Alek has claustrophobia… _Chloe thought as she looked at his blank downcast stare. _Who would've thought?

_The line started to move and they were about to get on. As they watched Amy and Paul climb to one of the compartments, Chloe clutched Alek's hand tightly. "Come on… We really don't have to get on."_

"_Don't be a little scaredy human…" he said, looking determinedly at the ride. _

_Chloe wondered if she was saying that to her or to himself. She merely shrugged and waited their turn to board the ride. Jasmine and Zane got on and Chloe and Alek soon followed suit. The compartment was cozy and comfortable enough and began to swing as they got on it. They eased themselves on the seats provided and tried not to move too much to keep the compartment from continuously swaying._

_When the ride began to move, Alek glanced Chloe's way momentarily before clutching the sills of the wide and festively designed compartment windows._

_At that point, Chloe couldn't help herself. The look of fright on his eyes was too rare and precious. She began to chuckle. "Alek… You really are terrified…"_

"_Am not…" he frowned, but didn't even bother to put on a brave face this time. His eyes betrayed stark fear. "Stop laughing," he said, hating that she would see him like this. "The thought of being up there in this closed space…" He visibly winced as his eyes rolled upwards, eyeing the compartment ceiling._

_Chloe moved closer to him, the motion causing the booth to sway and him to flinch. She snuggled into his arms and leaned her head over his shoulder. "I'm actually relieved to find that you're actually scared of something…"_

"_Oh, you're relishing this, aren't you?" he snapped at her, almost bitterly._

_A wide smile crossed her face as she glanced at his firm-set jaw. "Kind of… yes," she admitted making him glower at her, "but I'm also serious… you being scared of something… it makes you more human, less Mai."_

"_What's wrong with being Mai?" he asked defensively, effectively distracted by her jibes._

"_Nothing…" Chloe shook her head. "It's just I've known humans longer. I understand them more than I do our kind."_

_Alek cast a fond look at her, admiring her compassion, her sensitivity – a sensitivity that he was convinced she had for every other creature on the planet aside from him. _She feels for humans, Jackals and probably every other race that roams the planet… Why can't she feel the way I feel for her? _He heaved a sigh, trying to calm his nerves, the feel of her body snuggling beside him making it easier. "I've always been afraid of closed spaces," he hesitantly admitted, "I like being free. I hate being stuck anywhere…"_

_Chloe was taken aback. Unlike Brian, who was more than willing to tell her everything about himself and his past, it was a rare thing for Alek to open up about anything personal, anything that actually meant something. Driven by curiosity and afraid that she might say something that would stop him from going on, she sat there silently and merely brushed her palm against his to encourage him to continue._

"_My mother, Isobel… the one who adopted me… told me that the claustrophobia was probably by an incident when I was young. I accidentally locked myself inside my toy chest." A pale pink blush covered Alek's cheeks when she teasingly glanced at him, one eyebrow raised, a smile forming on her pink lips. He never told that story to anyone before, and now that he did, he found the idea of locking himself inside a toy chest rather stupid and embarrassing. "I was a kid!" he exclaimed defensively. "I don't even remember it happening."_

_That only served to get Chloe to burst into giggles. "It's kind of cute actually…" she managed to say in between the laughter._

_Alek rolled his eyes at her, but found himself smiling anyway. His gray eyes narrowing at her, he pulled her closer to him. "When you're done making fun of how adorably cute I _am_…" he chided, giving her a look that said, 'you know you want me, Chloe King' before continuing, "…perhaps I can finish my story…"_

_Chloe stifled her giggles as she attempted to put on a serious okay-I'm-listening-to-you-now expression, which proved to be harder than she first realized. After getting a hold of herself, she coaxed him to continue._

"_After that horrible childhood traumatic experience," he proceeded with dramatic flair, "my mum told me that every time I would dream of or actually find myself getting stuck in an enclosed space of any kind, the only thing that would calm me down is this old toy that I've had since forever." He paused for a couple of seconds. A bitter smile formed on his lips. Just the sight of that sad smile made her want to reach out and hug him. "When I turned sixteen and I told my parents about my transformation, they wanted to fix me of my being Mai." _

_Her lips slightly parted in surprise at the information he just gave her. "Fix you?"_

"_One year of doctors and scientists trying to figure out how to cure me of my retractable claws…" A side smile formed on his deep red lips, resentment traced in his voice. "I especially hated the scans. Whenever I came out of one of those, I'd shake so hard. None of us understood why, but only that broken little toy would calm me down."_

_Chloe had no idea what she did to deserve his trust that he would uncharacteristically open up such a vulnerable part of his past to her, but she valued it for what it was. "Well…" She began to say, loving this side of him, a side completely new to her "…the broken little toy isn't here and you seem to be rather calm."_

_Her comment was a miscalculation on her part because it made Alek glance at his surroundings as if remembering all of a sudden where they were. There couldn't have been any worse timing, because at that moment, they were actually suspended at the topmost part of the wheel, while whoever was at the bottom was currently getting off the ride. At the realization, he felt himself begin to tense again, his pulse quickening. _

_Sensing his tension, she once again clutched his hand tight. "Relax, Alek. We're okay…" she cooed in as soothing a way as she could manage, one thumb gently brushing over his knees. _

_Alek glanced her way and his pulse began to even out and his tension began to fade away. Her mere presence, which normally took him on edge, was now calming him down for a change. Unable to hold himself back, he kissed the soft skin on her temple, breathing in the enticing scent of her hair, pulling her feminine form against his embrace. _

_They remained that way until the ride halted and the attendant opened the door for them to get off. Chloe gently pulled away from him, smiled and motioned to leave, but Alek held her back, grabbing her elbow. "You should know that there's one other thing that I'm scared of."_

"_Oh?" She raised a brow, piqued. "What's that?"_

_He smirked and got off the compartment, leaving her question hanging in the air. _

_Chloe could only roll her eyes. _Alek and this whole 'mysterious' thing he's trying to put on… _She shook her head, sighed and took the hand he was offering him, so he could help her off the ride._

_As they walked toward the other couples, welcomed eagerly by Jasmine who didn't lose time in teasing Alek over coming out of the ride alive, the answer to Chloe's question was stuck in Alek's mind - _I'm scared of losing you, Chloe King.

**-oiOio-**

The next morning synchronized itself with Chloe's mood. Gloomy.

Dazed and out of sorts, Chloe proved to be quite a basket case. She kept on shooting Meredith worried glances and fearful stares. At one point, she just fixed her gaze at her mother's head, gulping at the thought of what Zane revealed possibly being the truth.

Meredith, who woke up in a rather good mood that morning, was starting to get freaked out. Even more of a bother to her was that the breakfast of bacon and eggs she cooked was being snubbed by Chloe, who neither had the appetite nor the energy to finish her food.

"What's going on with you, kiddo?" she inquired in that motherly tone mothers tend to have.

_Whitley Rezza planted a chip in your brain, mother. We should really go see a surgeon. Now. _"I'm fine, mom. No more headaches?" _Oh and yes… I'm a Mai._

Meredith laid a hand over her forehead then began rubbing her neck. "Just a slight one. Not as bad as yesterday."

Chloe sighed, wondering what she had to say to get excused from going to school. _The guy I was falling in love with kissed me, and died because of it. Reason good enough? _Unable to come up with a valid reason that she could actually tell her mother, she stood up and hugged Meredith instead. "I love you, mom."

Meredith's face softened as she held her daughter in her arms, feeling that all-too-familiar tinge of fear and apprehension she was beginning to too often feel for Chloe. "Seriously implied, kiddo."

As she pulled away from her mother's tight embrace, Chloe had to face an inevitable reality. _If what Zane said is true, I need to tell my mom the truth. All of it._

**-oiOio-**

A cold sweat was breaking through the large man's brow as he fidgeted with the hem of his leather jacket. He was shaking from head to foot. He was one of the most intimidating of the Order's executioners and yet having to stand before the sophisticated redhead, who now looked as if she was perfectly capable of breaking him in half, would easily be one of the most terrifying experiences of his life.

"What do you mean the Mai has him?" Simone asked in a low, calculated voice that made her look all the more terrifying as she sat on the modern office's recliner, clutching its arms so tight, her knuckles were then turning white.

The executioner gulped. "He escaped."

Simone's blazing blue orbs were shooting daggers at him. "Of course he escaped… He wouldn't be with them if he didn't, would he?" She wasn't expecting this. She expected Zane to fight, to run, to give them a good chase. She wasn't expecting Zane to actually turn to the Uniter for help, to turn to his own race, to the race she had taught him to hate. _I completely miscalculated how cunning my little pet could be. _She could feel the rage beginning to overwhelm her, her face turning a deep dark red. "Get out… Get out!"

The large man practically scrambled out of her sight.

Left alone and fighting to keep control of her raging senses, she opened a desk drawer and retrieved from it a golden stopwatch – the one reminder she had of what the Mai took from her and why she was doing this. An image of her beloved father, coughing blood as he handed her the precious timepiece – his one remaining legacy to his only surviving child – flashed through Simone's mind as she choked back the tears. His dying words were ringing through her mind – "Avenge us, child. Kill them all."

**-oiOio-**

Alek slammed the large steel door of the interrogation room shut. He was exhausted – both physically and mentally. He ran a trembling hand over his unkempt blonde hair as he began to make his way toward Jasmine, his mind wracked with conflicting thoughts over everything that Zane just revealed. Everything their captive said checked out. Everything about this Simone woman, about Whitley Rezza, about the Order… Quentin managed to retrieve whatever intelligence they could get from the Mai hunters, and everything was as Zane said it was.

Two things, however, bothered Alek the most. One was that Whitley Rezza was found to be Brian's father. Brian's motives were now coming into question. Adding more to Alek's trepidation was that Brian's body was nowhere to be found. The clean-up crew they sent to make sure that there would be no evidence left in the theater that would tie Brian's death with Chloe came back to inform him that there was no trace of Brian anywhere. _Where is he then? _Alek mused as he began to open the door to Jasmine's room.

Jasmine smiled at the sight of him. "Hey, Alek. Can we go home now?" she asked, expectation traced in those brown eyes of hers.

That was the second thing that was bothering him. Alek knew now that Zane was indeed his brother and the thought of being in any way related to the guy who murdered Valentina and hurt Jasmine the way Zane did was tearing Alek apart. At that moment, just the sight of his cousin and best friend looking expectantly at him, was causing tears to brim his eyes, but Alek swallowed the tears back as he approached Jasmine and sat on the wooden chair beside her bed.

"Alek, you look awful…" Jasmine commented, noting the dark lines between his eyes and the sallow complexion on his face. "Have you had any rest?"

Alek breathed a sigh before ignoring her question altogether. "We have Zane. He went to see Chloe last night. We took him back here and have been interrogating him all night."

The expression on her beautiful face quickly changed from concern to utter hatred at the very mention of the traitor's name. "He deserves to die."

Never before had Alek seen such a dark expression of loathing emanate from his fierce, but otherwise mild-mannered, cousin. "He wants to help us, Jasmine. Help Chloe."

"And you believe him?" Jasmine's eyes were blazing with fury as she hissed the words through gritted teeth. "He killed my mother, Alek. Have you forgotten? He's the reason I'm here, the reason I'm like this."

This time, Alek couldn't hold it back. A tear ran down his cheek. Seeing her this way and having to be the one to break the news to her was killing him inside. "He's my brother, Jasmine."

**-oiOio-**

Upon seeing the listless form of Chloe dragging herself along the hallway of their high school, Amy sighed with relief, handed the books she was holding to Paul, before heading toward her best friend and wrapping the Mai's legendary Uniter in a warm embrace, her bright blue eyes shimmering with concern. "Chloe… how have you been? We were so worried. Paul and I have been trying to get in touch with you since yesterday, but we got nothing from you. Is everything alright?"

_Alright? _Chloe wasn't the type to be cynical, but the situation called for cynicism as she pondered about how _not alright_ life was at that point. _Brian's dead. Valentina's dead. Jasmine's wounded. A murderer claiming to be Alek's brother visited my bedroom last night. My mother has some sort of deadly chip planted in her brain and I have no idea how we're going to get it out. _She gave in to Amy's embrace and hugged tight as she shook her head. Her mind was filled with more anxious thoughts than she knew how to process. She breathed a sigh as she pulled away from Amy, who was now gently brushing a hand across her arm.

Chloe tried to fake a smile, but her lips merely twitched at the attempt as she eyed Amy and Paul, both of them looking sympathetically at her. Neither of them knew what to say, both of them feeling rather inept at comforting someone who'd been through what their best friend had just gone through.

"Have you seen Alek?" Chloe asked, looking for the one person who could ease her mind at that point.

They exchanged looks before shaking their heads at Chloe.

Amy gently hooked her arm against Chloe's as they started to mill along the corridor with the rest of the students, Paul trailing behind them. "No. No sight of him anywhere. I wouldn't expect him to be in school after what happened to…" she hesitated. "I'm so sorry, Chloe."

Chloe cast a sad look at Amy, realizing that she wasn't able to inform Amy and Paul that Jasmine was alive. Getting an "empathy hit" – as Paul coined it – Chloe sensed the genuine worry and compassion that her best friends were feeling toward her. She heaved a sigh and eventually decided to tell them about everything that happened since they last saw each other, hoping that talking about it would somehow help her heal.

**-oiOio-**

By the time Chloe's shift at the boutique ended, Lana was just about ready to strangle her. Spending any amount of time inside the place where she first met Brian made it difficult for her not to remember him and the thought of spending three hours every day at work soon became unbearable. Her mind kept on drifting off to space. A customer would ask her a question and she would mumble something incoherent or get distracted by an object, a scent, a hat, a rack of clothes that would eventually make her think of Brian and it was all she could do to keep herself from breaking into sobs. She had two customer complaints that day and a dozen other minor mishaps caused by her absent-mindedness.

Chloe didn't know what to do about it or if it was even something she should fix, but throughout the span of that awful day, the only thought that could keep her from completely breaking down was Alek. She figured that if he could be so strong with all the pressure he was under, then so could she.

When the clock struck six, signaling the end of her shift, both Chloe and Lana sighed with relief. No words were exchanged between them as Chloe left. Chloe assumed that her boss had just about enough of scolding her. Chloe, on the other hand, just wanted to get out of there. She stepped out of the boutique, a cold wind gently brushing through the loose curls that managed to break free from her high ponytail in order to frame her face. She was about to head home, but was pleased to find Alek walking her way. The solemnity on his finely-chiseled face told her that he wasn't there to bring good news and yet, for some reason, just the sight of him was comforting.

As he neared her, the first thing she noticed was the dark lines under his eyes. _Has he had any sleep at all? Has he had any food? _Her concern for his health was overshadowed by the sight of the black backpack he was carrying. Alek rarely carried a bag around, so whenever Chloe saw him with one, it didn't take x-ray vision for her to figure out the contents of the bag. _It contains nunchucks, switchblades or some other form of fighting gear meant to inflict pain. He can't seriously think that I would agree to train today…_

Alek quirked a brow as he followed Chloe's wide-eyed gaze, suspiciously set on the backpack he was carrying. Amusement glimmered in his eyes when he realized what was going on in her mind. "Relax, Chloe… we're not training today." He chuckled lightly. The relief that washed over Chloe's facial expression made him want to pat her on the head, and so he did just that, earning for himself her signature roll-of-the-eye.

Despite her indignation over him treating her like a child, Chloe welcomed his presence. Just seeing him smile seemed to lighten her heavy mood. "What's in the backpack?"

"You'll find out soon enough," he flicked his brows knowingly at her. "Right now, we need to talk. I'll walk you home, so you could invite me to dinner."

Chloe slit her eyes at him. She considered arriving at some quip about how rude it was that he was inviting himself to dinner, but found herself craving his company. "I'd love to have you join us for dinner actually," Chloe said instead as they began to trek their way toward her home. "Let me ask my mom if it's alright." She took out her phone and began texting Meredith.

Alek slightly lifted his shoulders as he pocketed his hands, a corner of his lips lifting in a sideward smirk. "Well, if you insist…" he cooed, his head tilting to the side.

Chloe couldn't help roll her eyes again. A moment of silence ensued. They were attempting to joke around, lighten the mood, but the heavy thoughts weighing down on them simply could not be pushed aside. Alek looked her way, wondering how her day went by. He could only hope it wasn't as draining as his was. The Mai on Uniter duty didn't have anything much to report to him before he arrived. He was thinking of skipping talking to her that day altogether and just go ahead and get some rest, but found himself just wanting to be around her. After walking a block or two in complete silence, Alek gave in to the need to tell someone about everything that went on that day, not wanting to have to keep everything to himself. He began to tell her about how it went with Zane and his conversation with Jasmine, leaving out the part about Brian and his disappearance. He felt guilty about not telling her, but he didn't want to have to deal with how she would react to the news just yet.

After he was done speaking, he watched Chloe's long lashes flutter pensively as she drew a deep sigh. "So he really is your brother?"

"He told me a story about hiding me in a dark hatch and handing me a plastic toy truck." Alek grabbed his backpack and retrieved from it a plastic toy truck with a missing wheel.

"It's the broken little toy, isn't it?" Chloe asked, as she took the toy in her hands, eyes widening as she examined it. "The one you told me about at the fair…"

Alek was silent. He just eyed the old play thing she was holding with her long slender fingers.

"Alek… I don't know what to say."

His lips parted slightly before giving her a bitter smile. "You don't have to say anything."

Another comfortable silence filled the air as they continued their trek toward Chloe's home.

"Alek…" Chloe eventually broke the silence, clutching the truck in her hands as if hoping that its ability to calm Alek down would somehow manifest on her.

He looked her way, waiting for her to speak further.

"The chip… on my mom… it's most likely true isn't it?"

Alek nodded, his heart reaching out to her at the sight of the fear on her face, now pale with anxiety.

"I need to tell her the truth now, don't I?" Chloe was trembling, awareness that life could possibly never be the same for her just the way it drastically changed for Alek when he told his parents the truth.

Her question was rhetoric and he knew it. Not knowing what to say, he simply tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

Her lips quivered as she gazed up at him. "Could you be there? When I tell her…" she requested, her arms hanging limply on her sides, the toy truck still in one hand's tight grip.

He nodded and drew her trembling form against him in what he hoped would be a comforting embrace. He hoped that his actions would tell her what he could not form in words. He was there for her. No matter what, he would be there for her.


	9. Soul Mates

**- Soul Mates -**

_Cold and soaking wet, he was sitting on the high end of the stone steps leading to the King household's front door. He was wracked with worry over what Jasmine just told him over the phone. _I should've been there to protect her… _he reprimanded himself _…not here… babysitting her mom… _And yet, there he was, guarding Meredith – all because the Uniter asked him to. _

_Alek didn't quite understand the way he was starting to feel for her lately. He'd always been attracted to her, but after being around her, getting to know her, seeing the way she was with her friends and her mom, what he felt for her was now going far and beyond just physical attraction. At first, he thought it was just because she was the Uniter and it was his duty to watch over her, but if he were to be completely honest with himself, he knew it was more than just that. He heaved a sigh as he wrung his hands nervously. He knew that Chloe was safe, that Valentina already killed the scar-faced rogue, but the thought of Chloe almost drowning, almost losing more than just one of her lives left him completely unnerved._

_The sight of a car pulling over in front of the house made Alek stand up with expectation, hoping it was Chloe. He got what he hoped for, because he eventually caught sight of her long blonde curls popping up from inside the car. What he didn't expect though was hearing the voice of her human talking about some sort of date they'd arranged for that weekend. Alek gritted his teeth, surprised by the effect seeing her with Brian had on him. Jealousy wasn't a feeling he was accustomed to._

_He tentatively approached Chloe as the car drove off. Her blue eyes widened with surprise at the sight of him._

"_Alek…" she exclaimed, noting his still wet clothes and the small beads of water threatening to drip from his slightly tangled blonde hair. The rain that had been pouring over San Francisco less than an hour ago was rather chilling and Chloe had been extremely grateful upon getting into the warmth inside Brian's car. The thought of Alek just standing there in the chilly open air all this time concerned her._

"_I heard what happened," he started to say, his tone of voice betraying his evident concern for her._

"_You've been here the whole time?" she asked him, feeling at fault over what she put him through._

_An awkward look of discomfort crossed his face as he uncomfortably glanced away before looking back at her. "Of course. You asked me to."_

_Chloe didn't know what to say and he seemed to be done talking. He began to turn and started to run off leaving her guilt-ridden and torn as she glanced back at the direction where Brian's car faded off to then back at Alek's running form, quickly disappearing from her sight. She pursed her lips before breathing out a sigh. "Alek!" she called out._

_The sound of her voice calling his name made him stop in his tracks. He was wet, cold and slightly disgruntled over having to see her with Brian. "What does she want now?" he muttered under his breath, but admitted to himself that he was relieved to have her call out to him. _

_She caught up with him and tried to catch her breath before speaking up. "I don't want you to get sick… You're shivering." She held him by the hand. "At least dry off in my room for a while before you go…"_

_A naughty smirk crossed his face before he could manage to stop it. Sometimes, he regretted how flirting seemed to be his instant, natural response to most conversations he had with Chloe, since his usual style didn't seem to work with her the way it did with the other girls he'd tried to hit on before._

"_Don't get any ideas," she rolled her eyes, letting go of his hand. "I just figured it's the least I could do after you…"_

"_I would appreciate that actually," he nodded as he ran his palms over his own arms._

_Minutes later, they were climbing from the roof into her bedroom window. Chloe felt awkward about the whole situation, knowing that her mother would freak if she found Alek there after making it clear to Chloe that boys were definitely not allowed in her room. Especially at that time of night. Chloe cast a gaze at Alek, noting the slight shiver on his broad shoulders. She sighed. _We better make this quick.

"_Do you want to take a shower? Maybe I can pop your clothes into the dryer?" she asked, not quite knowing what to do._

"_I just want to get warm," he responded, wanting to take a seat on the edge of her bed, but decided against it upon realizing that he would get her sheets wet. "A towel would help… to dry off…"_

"_Yes…" she nodded. "Of course." She motioned to walk toward her bathroom. "You can sit if you want to," she said, pointing to the bed. "Don't worry about the sheets. I don't think it will get _that _wet."_

_Alek was starting to feel the cold creep over him, his teeth beginning to chatter, as he sat on the edge of her bed. By the time Chloe returned from the bathroom with a large towel, he was shaking profusely. _

"_Oh no… Alek…" was all she could say as she wrapped the towel over his shoulders and around his torso. Their eyes met for a moment and Alek could swear he saw affection in her eyes, but he quickly charged it to wishful thinking. "Wait a sec," she said as she returned to the bathroom and came back moments later with a basin of warm water. She set it on the floor beside his feet and began hiking his pants up and pulling his shoes off. _

"_What are you doing?" he asked, creasing his brows. _

"_My mom does this when I get colds. It really helps me warm up," she explained, setting one of his shoes aside. "Relax."_

"_Do you know that body heat does wonders when you want to warm someone up?" He couldn't help but remark, that signature smirk of his once again forming on his face. "You could just wrap me in your arms, hold me close..."_

_Chloe heaved an exasperated sigh as she tugged on his socks. "Why do you keep on doing this, Alek?" _

"_Doing what?" _

"_This…" she emphasized. "Ruin perfectly good moments with some arrogant quip or some suggestive retort."_

"_It's the way I am," he shrugged. "Get used to it."_

_Her blue eyes met his, but she seemed to not have it in her to argue with him, because she just resigned herself to that response before focusing on his feet. Her soft warm hands took his bare feet and placed them over the water on the basin. She began gently massaging his feet. She couldn't have known what a beautiful picture of serenity she painted before him, with those blue eyes of hers downcast, seen through those long blonde lashes, strands of her now dry hair framing the delicate features of her face. _

"_How about you?" he found himself asking. "Why do you keep on doing this, Chloe?"_

_Her brows furrowed. "Doing what?"_

"_You keep on trying to save everyone… even these clueless humans, who will do nothing to help you fulfill your destiny as the Uniter."_

"_These clueless humans, as you call them, are my dearest loved ones, Alek. I am who I am because of them," she replied, her hands still rubbing his feet. "Are you suggesting that I just turn my back on them?"_

"_They're just humans."_

"_And I'm not?" she stopped kneading his feet with her palms and looked up at him. "How about you, Alek? Isn't there a part of you that is still human? If being Mai, if being the Uniter, means I lose my humanity… if it means I lose the part of me that feels compassion and concern and love for the innocent, for people whom I love and love me back… then I'm not sure I want to be Mai at all. If I'm going to fulfill this destiny that you keep talking about, I'm going to do it while living with and protecting the people that matter to me. What kind of Uniter… Scratch that. What kind of _person _would I be if I fail at that?"_

_Alek was silenced by the admiration that he felt over how passionately she was speaking those words. It gave him a glimpse of the sort of person that she was. And those words she just spoke did not ring empty to him, because he'd stood witness to how she lived her words out. At that moment, he could feel only respect for the young girl before him, feeling privileged to be the protector of the long-awaited Uniter._

"_The things you do for me…" she began to say after a few moments of silence. "I'm thankful. I hope you know that. That you would watch over me, over my mom… that matters…" she paused. "You matter."_

_Alek did not do melancholic drama well. He hated himself for it later but all he did was flippantly shrug and say, "Really just doing my job…" as if the things she said didn't amount to much as far as he was concerned, even though hearing her say that he mattered to her meant the world to him._

"_Of course," she nodded, a bitter smile forming on her lips. "Feeling warmer now?" she asked, rubbing her palms together to dry them off._

_He nodded wordlessly. He was feeling a lot warmer actually. He pulled the towel away from himself and handed it to her. He watched her take the towel and dry his feet off before disappearing into the bathroom with the basin of water. He didn't know what to make of the emotions coursing through him. It had been so long since anyone had ever bothered to take care of him the way she did that night. Even before they discovered he was Mai, his adoptive parents were always a bit uptight. His mother was sweet and always doting on him, but they had servants or nurses or nannies to care for him. Living with Valentina and Jasmine, nothing like this ever happened. His aunt and cousin were just as independent as he was. They were all used to taking care of themselves. He wasn't used to being taken care of in this way. He listened to the sounds Chloe was causing as she moved around the bathroom. He began to quickly put his socks and shoes back on._

_By the time Chloe stepped out of the bathroom, Alek had already gone off. She never would've imagined the kind of impact she left on him that night. At that moment, she never would've thought that many years later, Alek would often look back at that night and recognize it as the night he began to fall in love with Chloe King._

**-oiOio-**

Her heartbeat was pounding at an insane pace. Her pulse was running quicker than he'd ever felt it run before. Even fighting against assassins and criminals, Chloe had never been as anxiously terrified as she was at that time and Alek could tell. He squeezed her trembling hands as he sat beside her on the living room couch while waiting for Meredith to follow them there after clearing the dinner table. "It's going to be okay, Chloe," he assured her, though he was more nervous than he was letting on. _Meredith is nothing like my parents, but who knows how she will take this news?_

Chloe was a nervous wreck during dinner, but if Meredith found her daughter acting a little bit off, she did not show any indication of being bothered by it. She was an accommodating and cheery host to Alek, making it clear that she was more than willing to have Alek for dinner. "It's the least we could do after you came to our rescue with those lowlifes and that crooked cop," she explained.

Alek could only smirk and shrug a shoulder in his response, managing to pull off his easygoing confident façade even though he was just as anxious as Chloe was about telling the truth to Meredith.

"Mom," Chloe had spoken up – one of the few times she managed to say anything during that dinner. "Could we talk after dinner? I…" she cast a pensive glance at Alek "…we need to tell you something important."

That's when things slightly tensed. "Is there something wrong?" Meredith asked.

Alek and Chloe could only exchange glances. _How were we supposed to answer that? _Alek thought. _Yes, Meredith. Something is definitely wrong. Someone wants to and absolutely can fry your brain to a crisp if they want to. _A rather awkward silence was the only fitting response, at least until they were in a position to tell her the entire truth.

That was the position they were in now.

Alek's breath hitched when Meredith walked into the living room and sat on the couch across them. She looked nervous as she clasped her hands over her lap, obviously uneasy with foreboding over what it was that they were about to tell her.

"Well?" Meredith asked, her voice sounding a bit hoarse. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

The fingers of his right hand were intertwined with Chloe's left hand. He squeezed her hand to let him know that he was right there.

Chloe heaved a deep sigh before looking at her mother. "Mom…" she began to say, her voice a little shaky. "I'm not certain how you will react to what I'm about to tell you or if it even means anything to you, but…" she paused and heaved another sigh "…I'm Mai."

To their surprise, Meredith breathed a huge sigh of relief, letting out the breath that she'd been holding the time. She held a hand over her heart as she tried to calm herself. "Oh my goodness, Chloe… you had me so scared…"

Alek and Chloe exchanged bewildered glances, puzzled over the reaction they were getting.

_Does she know what Chloe meant when she admitted to being Mai? _Alek mused.

Meredith grabbed a clump of her dark brown hair in her hands, her mouth agape at her adopted daughter. "Chloe, I was so sure you were going to tell me that you're pregnant."

"What? Mom…" Chloe exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. _Pregnant? What? Does she even know me? Unbelievable. _That's when she noticed...

Both Alek and Chloe could feel the blood drain from their faces as they realized that they were so preoccupied by the matter at hand that they weren't even aware of how all this must've looked like to Meredith. Chloe's eyes dropped to their hands clasped together and suddenly, she was keenly aware of how closely she was snuggling against Alek on the couch. She had unconsciously done it to hopefully draw comfort from his warmth, from knowing that he was there to support her. Chloe held back a chuckle. _Of course that's what my mom would think. _A smile formed on her lips as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not pregnant, mom. Alek and I…" she paused, realizing that she had no idea what she and Alek were. They certainly weren't just friends. She huffed. "Alek and I… we're not… it's not what you think."

"Okay then," Meredith's eyes widened. "Totally relieved mother sitting in front of you. I wouldn't have known what to do with myself… with you… Oh dear… I don't even want to think about it…" She breathed deeply and tried to gather herself together. "Okay, now tell me, kiddo… what on earth is a Mai?"

**-oiOio-**

"That went better than I could ever have hoped for…" Alek was lying on the rooftop, Chloe beside him, staring up at the starlit night sky.

Chloe giggled at the recollection. "I think she was so relieved to find that I wasn't pregnant, I could've told her I was an alien and she would've taken it better."

A side smile formed on his lips. "You're probably right. She was pretty calm about the whole Whitley Rezza just planted a chip on your brain thing…"

"It's uncanny… I keep on thinking that she's in some sort of shock or something and I'm really going to suffer the repercussions of telling her the truth sometime later." Chloe paused, now shifting to a more serious tone as she sat up. "Do you really think we can get the chip off?"

"We have some really good Mai surgeons. They'll know what to do," he assured, following suit and sitting beside her.

"Thank you… I know you're just doing your job, but still…"

"Chloe, I would think that after everything we've been through, you'd know that being there for you isn't just a job to me…"

She nodded and smiled. "I know. And I'm thankful."

Alek laid his arm over her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. _You have no idea how much you mean to me, Chloe._

There was a short, but comfortable silence before Chloe brought herself to ask the question that'd been on her mind over the past days. "How are you so strong, Alek? With everything that's happened, you seem so unfazed…"

He drew a deep breath. "Someone has to be. If I lose it, what's that going to accomplish? I can't afford to break down. Too much is at stake."

"It's…" she sought the right word "…admirable."

He smiled before narrowing his eyes. "We're not going to go all dramatic again, are we? It's getting a little tiring."

Chloe looked at him and despite herself, smiled. She snuggled against him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You know, Chloe. If you really want to thank me, you could always just…"

"Stop," she protested. "I think I know what you're going to say."

"Oh?" he raised a brow and found himself rather pleased when her soft hand caressed his cheek and made him turn toward her before drawing him close. She leaned closer and pressed her lips against his. His thoughts momentarily roamed toward Brian, how she felt for the human and how he was afraid of becoming nothing but a rebound, but Alek couldn't help it. He gave in to the need, the yearning he felt to hold her, to taste the sweetness of her lips, to feel her warmth against him. He just wanted to be with her. And so he cast out all inhibition and doubt and just caved in. When their lips parted, he couldn't help but smirk at the slight swelling his kiss caused on her lips. He raised a brow at her.

"What?" she asked apprehensively.

"Nothing…" He shook his head and leaned his forehead against hers. "It's just that I was going to say you could always just invite me to dinner again, but kissing is a great way to thank me too."

**-oiOio-**

His eyes roamed the strange surroundings he found himself in as full consciousness took over him. _Where am I? What happened? _Memories of the theater and her lifeless body splayed over the grand staircase flashed through his mind. _Chloe…_ He then remembered his confession of love and the relief that washed over him when she opened those beautiful blue eyes of hers. _She's alive. I kissed her… _The recollection of her lips pressing against his was causing his spine to tingle and then confusion began to consume him when he remembered how suddenly, he felt life begin to seep away from him as some sort of heart-stopping venom began to penetrate his veins. Then nothing. No more memories were left to explain what happened. All he had left was questions.

The door swung open and he was relieved to find a familiar face peer through the door. "Grandma…"

"Brian, you're finally awake," Olivia smiled, moving toward him and clasping his hands in hers. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," he replied honestly. "Just a little confused. What happened? Where's Chloe? I need to see her… Is she okay?"

"She's fine, my dear," Olivia responded reassuringly. "You need not worry. Right now, you need to prepare yourself for when you meet her again. You must have a lot of questions…"

Brian nodded. _You have no idea. _His mind was whirling with so many unanswered questions than he knew how to handle or even speak out.

"Ask away, dear."

"How could she have survived that gunshot?" was the first question that came to mind.

Olivia smiled. "She's Mai, Brian. And not just any Mai. She's the Uniter."

**-oiOio-**

Very few people intimidated Simone, but as she walked along the well-lit corridors of the high rise building that belonged to the most influential elder of the Order, she found herself trembling. Jakob asked for an audience with her. He never asked for her before and the fact that he did meant that he was about to speak to her over something of great importance. She was ushered into the modernly designed office of the Order's most affluent and fiercest leader. She was instructed to sit on the red velvet couch meant for the leader's guests.

She sat stiffly, still unable to even out the fast pace of her pulse.

"Simone," a deep gravelly voice almost made her jump out of her skin in surprise.

She turned her head to the side and saw the profile of the tall elder, with graying hair and a very well-built physique. He walked toward her and sat on the couch across hers. "Jakob," she acknowledged him, giving him a curt nod.

His dark brown eyes blinked at her, keeping a stoic expression on his face. "I'm very disappointed with how things have been handled. Your work isn't usually this sloppy."

"My apologies… I…"

"Don't interrupt me," Jakob cut her off. "I don't need your explanations. Your pet turning against us has given the Mai a very clear advantage. You will need to plan your steps very carefully. I am giving you another chance, Simone, but this time, I don't want you to go after the Uniter."

"I don't understand… What do you want me to do?"

"I've heard some very disturbing news," Jakob lifted a teapot from the center table set between them and began to pour hot tea over a porcelain cup. "It appears that the Guardian is alive and is now leading the Mai."

"How is that possible? A guardian hasn't been named since…"

"What did I say about interrupting me?" He cast her a stern look, enough to effectively silence her. "There is a Guardian. He is the Uniter's greatest and most powerful protector. With him recognized as their leader, it will be easier to unite their race and if the Mai unites with the sole purpose of protecting their Uniter, it makes it all the more easier for the girl to fulfill her prophesied destiny. We can't allow this to happen."

Simone nodded, not daring to speak, in fear of further offending the elder.

Jakob took a sip from the hot cup of tea in his hand, enjoying that he was making this woman, who could easily intimidate most of his deadliest assassins, so nervous. He laid the cup on a coaster over the center table, taking his time, before continuing, "If we want to destroy the Uniter, we have to destroy her protector first. This should be an easier task, Simone. The Guardian, after all, does not have nine lives. All you have to do is end the one life that he has." He leaned against the couch and crossed a leg over the other. "Simply put, Simone, your mission is to kill Alek Petrov."


	10. Awakenings

**- Awakenings -**

_Sitting on the edge of her bed, Alek found it hard not to appreciate how pretty she looked as Chloe blushed and smiled over his admittance that he did, in fact, steal those roses from the neighbor who had the huge, threatening dog. _

"_So you and your human…" Alek started to say, changing the subject to what's been eating at him lately. Her brow quickly quirked at his once again calling the human 'her human', so he said the name. "Brian…" It left a bitter taste in his mouth. "It's over, right?" _

_Chloe took a breath before telling him what he wanted to hear. "Yes," she assured him as she nodded. "It's over."_

"_But I saw you two…" _

"_Alek…" Chloe interrupted, feeling as if her heart was caught in her throat. "Brian's my friend. That's all." She felt the guilt build up inside her, knowing full well that saying Brian was just a friend was a blatant lie. That's what she wanted him to be, but that wasn't what he was. He was more than just that. "I'm helping him with some family stuff," she continued to explain before giving Alek her ultimatum, "and like it or not, he's a part of my life. You just have to accept it."_

_Alek nodded, attempting to convince himself that she was telling the truth, but finding it extremely difficult to swallow how threatened he felt by the human's mere existence. Satisfying himself with her assurance, he decided to shift to another topic, standing up and moving closer to her. "What do you think about seeing a movie sometime? Like… tomorrow night?"_

"_That would be great, but… we have this dinner thing tomorrow, so…" It was surprising to her how pleased she was by the idea of going on a date with him and how much she wished Frank wasn't coming over for dinner the next day. It felt as if Alek and Brian were playing tug of war and she was the rope. Until a couple of days ago, Brian had been the steady winner, but now, Chloe wasn't so sure… Alek was beginning to mean more to her than she ever thought possible. "Could we please talk about this later? You've got to go. My mom is…"_

_A knock on the door disturbed her frantic plea and Meredith's voice came from the other side of the door. "Chloe?"_

_Alek smirked at how Chloe's eyes widened with panic. "Uh… hey, mom, did you need something?" she anxiously asked, brushing past him._

_Alek thought of darting inside the bathroom, but it was too late, so he settled himself with lying on the floor beside Chloe's bed. _It's not so bad in here, _he thought to himself, making himself comfortable as Meredith was telling Chloe something about dirty towels. He watched Chloe make her way to the bathroom, amused by the agitated expression on her face. _

"_Man have I been crazed…" Meredith sighed. "So how was your day?"_

_Chloe walked out of the bathroom with the towels. "It's been uh... you know…" She looked at the open window and turned her head to the right only to find Alek winking and waving at her. Her heart was thumping so hard, it wasn't even funny. "Uneventful. But really, I've got a lot…"_

_Her mom's eyes widened. "Flowers? Who are they from?"_

_Chloe felt as if she was about to get a heart attack. "Alek. He brought them by earlier… much, much earlier."_

_Alek couldn't help but give himself a mental pat in the shoulder, nodding in self-satisfaction when Meredith cooed, "That is so sweet!" He had to grimace however, when she admitted, "I'll be honest… not a fan at first," but quickly recovered when she continued to say, "but I am really starting to like that kid."_

"_He grows on you," Chloe said, nodding and narrowing her eyes, speaking more for herself than for her mother. "But seriously, mom, I…"_

_At first, Alek was listening in on the mother-daughter conversation, but Chloe's next few words soon got lost in a blur, because Alek found himself distracted by a certain red leather-bound book that he'd been dying to read. _Aha! Finally… _Gingerly fishing the journal from his right side, he slowly lifted it up and opened it with both hands. His eyes grew wide with surprise when he read the first few lines of the part that it opened to. _

I was telling Amy about Xavier and Kitty Hat with the Gorgeous Eyes and then he strides in… That arrogant, narcissistic, self-absorbed, spoiled, annoying jock! His Royal Hotness himself… Alek Petrov…

_A smirk formed on his lips and he had to look up at her – just in time to see her eyes pop out upon realizing what he was reading. "She'll love you," she shrugged at her mom, before throwing the dirty towels at him, covering his face._

Yeah… totally saw that coming… _Alek squirmed. _Dang… they smell just as good as her. _Breathing in her sweet scent, which he never quite got enough of, he gingerly pulled the towels off his face in as quiet a way as he could and was able to pull it off successfully before he returned his focus to the much more intriguing reason for his wide-eyed wonderment. The contents of Chloe's journal… He continued to read her entry about that fateful day when he discovered that she was indeed Mai, hoping to de-mystify the enigma that was Chloe King. Absorbed by the enthralling reading material he had in his hands, he flinched in surprise when Chloe's head popped from the side of the bed. She glared at him before grabbing the towels. Alek had to smile, even as he wondered what trouble he just got himself into with her._

_It didn't take too long for Chloe to usher her mother out of the room and shut the door, before she exclaimed through gritted teeth…"Alek… Don't you know you're not supposed to read… ugh! How could you just…"_

_Alek got up from the floor, still holding the journal in his hands. "Very interesting…" he teased._

"_Give that to me…" Chloe reached for the red book, which to her surprise, he let her have. "I can't even… Alek!"_

_He chuckled. "I have to say, Chloe… I'm wounded," he frowned, holding his palm against his heart in mocked injury. "I never thought I'd find myself in that book of yours."_

"_I can't believe you!" she exclaimed through gritted teeth. _

"_Can't believe me?" he quirked a brow, the feigned grimace still etched on his face. "What I can't believe is what you wrote about me. Self-absorbed? Narcissistic? Annoying? Oh and let's not forget…" A smirk replaced the frown on his lips as he bowed to her mockingly, "…his Royal Hotness." _

_Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as he stepped closer to her, once again exhibiting his inclination for being a close talker. "I knew it, sweet lioness. You find me hot." _

_All she could do was irritably slit her eyes at him, pout and slap him on the shoulder, effectively pushing him away, as he continued to chuckle. _

_Unbeknownst to her, reading the contents of her journal was one of the major reasons that brought Alek to Paul's coffee table later that week to play the question game and find out more about the girl he was quickly falling for._

_Unbeknownst to him, Chloe was also mentally slapping herself for two reasons: one, she realized that if Brian was more than just a friend to her, so was Alek; two, her mind's immediate answer to his last statement was, _Of course I do, your royal hotness.

**-oiOio-**

"You should go and rest."

The concern in her soft voice made his heart ache and the gentle brush of her hands over his, her fingers intertwining with his gave him goosebumps. Alek sighed as he slightly shifted over the rooftop in order to face her. "You're going to be okay?" he asked.

Chloe grinned. "I'm sure the handful of Mai you got on Uniter duty will do a good job at watching over me."

Alek couldn't help but smile. "You knew?"

"You underestimate me, Alek." The cocky smile on her face mirrored his own.

"I'm the Guardian. It's my job to watch over you." He paused. "I _want _to watch over you."

"I know, but you have to take care of yourself too, Alek. How much sleep have you had over the past few days?" She squeezed his hand. "Go. Rest. I'll be fine."

Alek nodded, knowing she was right. He could feel the fatigue creeping in. He had barely slept a wink over the last three days. "I'll be back first thing tomorrow."

She smiled and before she could say anything in response, his lips was on hers, the kiss gentle and sweet. When their lips parted, she found herself blushing as they said their good nights. She then fondly watched as he stood and leapt out of the rooftop.

Chloe then returned to her bedroom, got on the bed and stayed up for what felt like hours. She kept on running her fingers over her own lips, remembering what it felt like to kiss him. _What have I done? I kissed Alek… again. _She couldn't explain the gentle tremble of her entire body or the quick rhythmic drumming of her heart. _It's not like we haven't kissed before. _She brushed her fingers against her curls as she tossed and turned on her bed. Thoughts of Brian flashed through her mind. The heavy feeling of guilt and shame settled on her chest, realizing that she hadn't even bothered to check on what happened to him. She reasoned that she was swept away with everything that'd been going on, but it didn't feel like a good enough reason. _I should be grieving his loss and yet, all I can think of is Alek and how thankful I am that he's around. _She breathed a deep sigh and tried to swallow away the pain, feeling as if she was betraying the guy she confessed to be in love with only a couple of days ago. And yet in spite of the guilt eating at her, the final image on her mind was that of her strong, beautiful Guardian as she finally drifted off to deep sleep, only to find that even slumber could not provide her an escape.

_She was alone, lost in pitch black darkness. Goosebumps ran all over her skin. She felt that strange, tingling sensation that nightmares were made of. She couldn't see anything. Her night vision wasn't working. She tried to reach in front of her, but there was just blank space ahead. The vague surroundings only served to terrify her even more. _

"_Chloe," a familiar voice spoke from behind her._

_She turned and her heart felt as if it completely halted at the sight in front of her. "Brian?" she managed to choke out, blinking at the sudden influx of blinding light, seeming to emanate from him. She gulped before finally adjusting her eyes to the light. "How…" she paused, noticing the sadness in his beautiful eyes._

_A tear ran down his cheek and she sensed him tense up as he asked, "How could you?"_

"_I need him," she admitted, her heart breaking in the process. She began to step away from him. "I'm sorry." She quickly turned and ran as fast as her legs could take her, away from Brian, away from the light and back into blinding darkness. It felt as if she'd been running miles before a hint of light began to appear in the horizon. She slowed her pace and began to walk toward the light ahead, attempting to catch her breath. She approached a large glass window, the light coming from a room on the other side of it. There was a metal table and two chairs of like material at the center and a single steel door on one side of the room. It looked like an interrogation room. _

_She gasped. At the far corner of the room sat Alek, his arms tightly wrapped around his knees, pulling them to his chest. He looked completely horrified, his entire body visibly shaking. "Alek?" She slammed a hand against the glass to get his attention. _

_He was in a daze, staring blankly into the space in front of him, mumbling incoherent words to himself._

"_Alek!" She began pounding on the window, seeing him in this state sending her off to a frenzied fright unlike she'd ever felt before. "Alek!"_

"_He can't hear you," a dejected female voice spoke up._

_Chloe looked to her right and there stood a solemn-looking Jasmine, her arms crossed against her chest. A deep sigh then came from her left and she turned her head to find Zane, his eyes set on his brother before turning toward Chloe._

"_He needs you," was all he said._

_Chloe turned her attention back to the room on the other side of the window and her heart dropped. A beautiful brunette with the most stunning green eyes she'd ever seen was inside the room with Alek, kneeling next to him and wrapping him in her embrace, whispering inaudible assurances in his ear. _

_Still not knowing how to react to the sight unfolding before her, Chloe was nowhere near prepared for what happened next. The steel door swung open and Brian stepped inside the room. He looked through the glass partition directly at Chloe. His words sent chills down her spine, the sorrow on his eyes tearing her apart. "I'm sorry too, Chloe." __And just like that, he disappeared. The moment Brian was no longer in sight, the walls of the room began to move. _

_Chloe shot her eyes back at Alek and found that the girl was no longer there. He was alone and the realization that the walls were closing in on him served only to heighten his fright. _

_Panic filled Chloe as she went off in a manic frenzy pounding her fists against the window that was separating her from him. "Alek! No... please... Alek!" _

_Seeming to sense her presence, his eyes stopped darting across the room and settled on her. The moment their eyes met, Chloe found herself alone, lost in pitch black darkness._

"Chloe, wake up…" Alek began shaking her, concerned by the agitated expression on her face. It was morning and he returned to their house just like they'd discussed the night before. They were both skipping school and taking Meredith to Union Hall to see what could be done with the chip. He climbed up Chloe's window to find her muttering incoherently as she continued to shift on the bed, so afraid that she was having some sort of nightmare, he sat on the edge of the bed beside her and tried to wake her up. "Wake up, Chloe!"

Her blue eyes shot open and roamed from side to side, taking in her surroundings, before resting on him. She seemed to sigh with relief when she saw him. "Alek…" she exclaimed, sounding as if she was about to cry. She sat up and threw her arms around his neck.

Alek furrowed his brows in surprise as he circled his arms around her slender waist. "Not that I'm complaining, Chloe, but you seem to like hugging me a lot lately," he retorted, an unmistakable hint of a smirk in his tone of voice. "What was the nightmare about?"

She pulled away from him and her lips formed in a pout, her eyes revealing her pensiveness before she looked into his. "I don't remember…"

It was true. Try as hard as she could, she simply couldn't remember the contents of her dream. All she knew was that having Alek there brought the soothing calm that she needed.

**-oiOio-**

The bed was already made. She already took a shower and got dressed for the day before everything came crashing down on her. Full realization of what her daughter had revealed to her ran over her like a Mac truck and Meredith's knees buckled, making her fall back over her bed in a daze. Until that moment, everything had just been some sort of surreal dream that she couldn't fully comprehend. _There's a chip on my brain and it can kill me. Mr. Rezza did it, because my daughter is the Uniter of an ancient race. The Mai. _Chills ran down her spine. _I could die. _

She shut her eyes and shuddered at the thought, her heart beginning to beat twice as hard. "Chloe..." she muttered. It dawned on her what her daughter had been going through over the past few months and both dread and pride came over her. Her dread was mixed with pity over the unimaginable things Chloe must've had to contend with after "transforming". This transformation was something Meredith still couldn't wrap her mind around, but it was what it was. Chloe had transformed into something that was beyond anything Meredith could've ever imagined for her sweet little girl, and this was also what caused Meredith's pride. _How she could've been so strong through all of this… I can't even begin to imagine what it's been like for her… _All of a sudden, she was consumed by the overwhelming desire to embrace Chloe, especially when she realized that her fear over the chip on her brain was not just caused by the thought of dying. It was mostly caused by the idea that if she dies, she wouldn't be able to support her daughter through all this chaos.

Meredith resolutely stood up and quickly made her way to Chloe's room. She swung the door open to find that her daughter wasn't alone. Alek was inside, sitting on the bed, holding Chloe's hand. He seemed to be whispering something to Chloe before Meredith barged in.

"Mom… I… Alek was just…" Chloe began to stutter. "I was having a nightmare and…"

Meredith tilted her head to the side, raised an eyebrow and planted her hands on her hips. "How did you get in here?" she addressed Alek.

Alek gulped, his eyes turning toward Chloe's open window.

Meredith nodded with understanding. "If this whole Mai thing is going to work for all of us, I want that locked," she said pointing toward the window. "And Alek, it seems you're going to be quite a big part of our lives. I understand you have to watch after my daughter, but please realize that we have a front door. There's no harm in learning to knock and entering our home through it."

Alek nodded, wondering to himself why he was so intimidated by Meredith's maternal demeanor. "Of course…" he paused and quickly added, "ma'am."

Chloe smiled at how nervous he seemed to be. Her smile quickly faded away and she found herself cringing when her mother shifted attention to her.

"And you, young lady…" Meredith began to say before drawing a deep breath. "Come here." She then walked briskly toward Chloe and drew her daughter in a warm embrace. "I love you."

**-oiOio-**

_Get out of the way. _

That was the one logical thought that crossed the minds of all the Mai milling along the halls of Union Hall as the sight of their illustrious leader charging across the corridors presented itself to them. The menacing look on his face and unconcealed fury burning in his eyes was enough to intimidate the bravest of them.

"Alek?" Jasmine asked as she stepped out of her room, wanting to get some exercise after spending days confined in a bed. She opened the door just in time to see her cousin briskly walk past her, fists clenched, muscles tensed, looking just about ready to snap someone's head in two. _What's going on?_

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chloe anxiously chasing after Alek. Jasmine grabbed the Uniter's arm. "Chloe, what's happening?"

Chloe opened her mouth and quickly shut it before she could speak. She cast a nervous look toward the direction where Alek faded off to.

"Where's he going?" Jasmine asked.

"Jas…" Chloe began to say. "I…"

"It's Zane, isn't it?" Just saying the name made her stomach turn. "What did the murderer do this time?"

"I have to stop Alek before he does something he might regret," Chloe explained, pretty sure that Zane had major bodily harm coming his way.

"I'm going with you."

"Jasmine…" Chloe's breath hitched with deep concern for her mentor and friend. Never before did Chloe think that she'd hear such contempt oozing from Jasmine's tough but sweet nature.

Stepping forward, a dark expression crossed over Jasmine's brown eyes. "I want to see the traitor get hurt."

They didn't get too far before they heard Alek's commanding voice echoing across the hallways. "Where is he? Find him! Assemble our best hunters to organize a search for him immediately!"

Chloe felt the blood drain from her face as the clear implication of Alek's outburst sank in. _Zane escaped. The liar escaped. _She hated to admit it to herself, but a part of her wanted to see the traitor get hurt too, because after all the disquieted unease Zane's revelations put them all through, they ran Meredith's brain through every scan possible. The results all turned out the same. There was no chip to be found.

**-oiOio-**

The older woman sat across the younger redhead who was obviously trying to reel her temper in.

"He escaped," Simone seethed. "Zane escaped. I ask him to kill the prisoner and he lets Zane slip right through his fingers. Useless…" She shook her head in disgust. "They're all useless."

Olivia coolly leaned against the cushioned chair, gently tapping her cane on the patio's tiled floor. "Your Mai pets are beginning to fail you one by one, Simone. It's getting to be quite disappointing."

Simone sighed, clutching her phone in one hand, pushing her Mai spy's failure to execute orders aside and forcing her usual calm demeanor to once again take over. "This could still turn out to our advantage. Zane has no one left to go to…"

Olivia raised a brow, catching Simone's drift. "Do you really think he'll come help Zane?"

"Without a doubt," an arrogant smirk crossed Simone's face. "It won't be the first time he tries."

"Well, you'll have to find the boy first, won't you?"

"Let me worry about finding Zane," Simone raised a shoulder as she bent over the table and looked Olivia in the eye. "How's Brian doing?"

"He wants to see the girl. Desperately. But I've convinced him that he must go through training first. The Guardian is a force to be contended with. If he is to win the Uniter over, he cannot go unprepared."

"Do you really think he'll be able to help us take the Guardian down?" A strand of her red hair fell against her eye as she stirred the cup of coffee on the table in front of her.

"The Guardian will never allow the Uniter to end up with a Selki. If Brian wants to win the girl he loves over, he won't really have a choice, will he?"

Simone took a sip from the cup, relaxing against her chair. "Failure is not an option. The Guardian must die."

"Patience, Simone. The boy is closely-guarded by the Mai. If we are to take him down, we need to bide our time." Olivia carefully studied her current ally, knowing for sure that the moment the Uniter was in their hands, Simone would quickly turn into a formidable opponent. She leaned her chin over her palm. _If we are to succeed, we have to play our cards just right. _


	11. Origins

**- Origins -**

_As Johnathan King sorted through the rubble, Whitley's chill-inducing words swung back and forth through his subconscious like a mind-boggling pendulum he couldn't quite keep off his head. _

No one is innocent. We're all tainted.

_Johnathan couldn't bring himself to accept the statement. Something was wrong with it. It was meant to justify everything they'd seen, everything they'd done, everything they'd allowed themselves to be a part of. At the time his best friend said it, Johnathan had readily accepted the Selki's statement, but after standing there, watching the tenement building burn down, hearing the cries of the Mai murdered in cold blood, he knew Whitley was wrong. _

_Their generation and the generations before them were no longer innocent. So many lives had been lost, so much blood shed, so many tears cried. None of them were innocent – not the Mai, not the Selki, not the Jackals, not any of the other ancient races, and definitely not the Order. They all had blood in their hands. They all played a guilty part in this quest for supremacy, for survival, but not everyone was guilty. _

_As he stood watching that building burn down, he realized that there were children there who never even had any inkling about this ongoing war. They were innocents. Mere victims in a war they didn't even realize existed._

_Broken, tired and guilt-ridden, Johnathan couldn't help but break into a sob. None of it held any meaning for him anymore. He no longer knew what it was that he was fighting for. He became part of the Order, because he grew up believing that the world would be better off without the Mai. He was raised to think that way, but now, after all the blood he had in his hands, he was no longer so sure. He was sick of the chase, sick of all the death that surrounded him._

"_I can't do this anymore," he muttered as he sat down, resting his elbows on his knees, trying to control his tears. He desperately searched himself for a good reason why he was in Ukraine murdering the Mai instead of back home with his lovely young wife, Meredith. He was aghast to find that he couldn't find a single good reason for what he was doing. He never felt more lost than he did at that moment. He continued to lose himself in his disillusionment until he heard a soft whimper and saw from the corner of his eye a flicker of blonde hair._

_Johnathan creased his brows, thinking that he might be seeing things. There was absolutely no way that anyone could've survived the fire, and yet… He stood up and went toward the area where the sound came from and drew a breath at the shocking sight, for there she was – a shining ray of purity and innocence amidst a blood-curdling holocaust. Her big blue eyes stared up at him, wide-eyed with wonder, unaware of what was happening around her, silent beneath the charred fabric that enveloped her. She reached up to him with her stubby little fingers and smiled, cooing at him to pick her up._

_Against his better judgment and foreseeing the consequences of the choice he was about to make, Johnathan picked the young babe up. He looked around to see if there was anyone there to see what he was doing, to foretell what he was about to do. He drew a short breath when he realized that the horizon was clear. He wrapped his arms tightly around the baby, who couldn't have been more than a year old. _

"_It's alright, young one. No one will harm you,"_ _he whispered into the child's ear. As if understanding him, she flashed him a toothless grin, her blonde curls bobbing up and down as she bounced over his chest before grabbing his chin with one small hand. _

_Johnathan didn't know what to feel toward her. There was no affection. It was too soon for that, but there was this overwhelming sense of duty. For some reason beyond his understanding, Johnathan knew that it was up to him to keep the child safe. She was his means of redemption. He knew that things had to change and he had to play a part in the transformation of what was into what could be. Johnathan decided that the little golden-haired Ukrainian baby was as good a person as any to affect a change in._

**-oiOio-**

_That night, members of the Order contacted Whitley Rezza to ask him about Johnathan's whereabouts. It seemed he had disappeared without as much as a word of explanation to anyone. Whitley creased his brows upon hearing the news. It was unlike his best friend to do something like this. _

"_I have no idea where he is," he spoke into the telephone receiver. A few heated exchanges of words were thrown back and forth before Whitley slammed the receiver down. He had a bad feeling about all this. "What are you up to, Jon?" He'd noticed that Johnathan had been acting strange lately, but didn't think too much of it. That particular day, during the attack against the Mai, the joined forces of the Selki and the Order had succeeded in eliminating a settlement of over a hundred Mai, some of them very powerful and influential among their race. Whitley expected Johnathan to celebrate the victory, but it was what Johnathan said last that bothered him the most even as he wondered where his friend was._

_Johnathan, with moistened eyes, stared at the rubble left behind by the fire and without as much as a glance at Whitley, said, "How many innocents did we murder today? How many more must we murder before all this madness stops?" He then started to walk away. "I've had enough."_

**-oiOio-**

Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks.

Along with the passing of time came the passing of grief. The pain turned into numbness then to anger then to denial then finally to the inevitable acceptance of what is, while letting go of what was.

For Chloe King, along with the passing of time and the passing of grief came a progression of affection that she didn't quite know how to deal with. There wasn't a day over the past month that she didn't spend time with Alek. He was her strong tower and she was his. There were days that felt as if the world was crumbling all around them, but they were each other's constant – the Uniter and her Guardian. The mutual dependency they developed was a source of comfort to Chloe, but it was also a source of fear. She didn't know how to handle feeling this way toward Alek and it bothered her even more that she couldn't quite put a finger on exactly what it was that she felt for him. She just knew that she needed him.

"Chloe," his warm baritone voice broke through her thoughts as she sat on the edge of her bed, fidgeting with her long, dainty fingers.

She looked up and found Alek peering through her door, his brows furrowed. He looked as if he were wondering what was wrong with her. "Meredith sent me to call you to dinner," he explained before concern glazed over his gray eyes. "What's wrong?" He made his way inside her room and sat on the bed beside her.

Chloe forced a smile, surprised by her quickened heartbeat, a now familiar phenomenon often triggered by his proximity. "Just thinking about… you know… stuff."

A sideward smirk formed on his lips as he gave her a knowing glance.

Chloe rolled her eyes inwardly, bracing herself for the arrogant quip that was sure to come her way.

"Admit it, Uniter," Alek said with a small shrug. "You were thinking about me."

"How ever did you figure that out?" She retaliated. "I was actually thinking about why you're here for dinner again. What is it? Your third night eating with us this week? It's like my mom adopted a son." She comfortably patted her hand over his lower thigh. "Are you my new brother now, Alek?"

He leaned closer to her. "Yeah right, Chloe. That's me. Your brother." The sarcasm was unmistakable.

Chloe's lower lip slightly trembled when he brushed his lips against hers in a quick, teasing kiss.

"There isn't a lifetime or an alternate universe existing where you and I are siblings, Chloe," he said in his typical British drawl. "It's just not meant to be."

She wanted to ask him what he thought was meant to be, but she was apprehensive of what his response might be. She wasn't prepared for it. More than that, she wasn't prepared to face her own perceptions of what was meant to be. Unnerved by how he was making her feel, she stood up and faced his questioning gaze. "Let's not keep dinner waiting."

Alek creased his brows, wondering to himself what was causing her to be so… antsy. He quickly shrugged it off and followed her out the room and down the staircase that led to the dinner table, where Meredith and Jasmine were waiting.

"Jasmine!" Chloe exclaimed delightedly. "I didn't know you were joining us tonight."

Jasmine shot a questioning glare at Alek. "He didn't tell you?"

Chloe shook her head and Alek merely chuckled as he pulled a chair for Chloe to sit on. "I got distracted," was all the explanation he gave as he then sat beside Chloe.

Jasmine huffed at her cousin before turning her big brown gaze toward Chloe. "We've come to discuss a couple of things actually."

Meredith, now used to all the complications that came with Chloe being the Uniter, heaved a deep sigh, shaking her head slightly. "This doesn't sound good."

Alek and Jasmine exchanged knowing glances before Jasmine shrugged. "Well, we don't know for sure yet."

Meredith raised a brow as she popped a piece of chicken into her mouth. She chewed slowly, analyzing the teenagers surrounding her. Over the past month, Alek and Jasmine had been frequent visitors in the King household. Meredith made it a point to always have the guest room ready just in case one of her daughter's two most avid protectors decided to stay the night. Both Jasmine and Alek – especially Alek – were beginning to really grow on her. "Before we discuss all this serious Mai business, tell me about your day."

At that, Chloe had to smile. She knew that neither Alek nor Jasmine was used to these types of family conversations, but that wasn't the only reason she was giggling. From across the table, Jasmine was already giggling too and beside her, a smile was beginning to form on Alek's lips even though he was obviously trying to keep a straight face.

"Why? What happened?" Meredith asked, continuing with her motherly inquisition.

Chloe grinned, casting a knowing look at Alek. "We introduced one of the new Mai to our illustrious leader today."

"It was surreal," Alek muttered.

"The girl was trembling at the elevator," Jasmine chimed in, "but the moment she saw him, she practically squealed."

"She screeched before going…" Chloe held both her palms over her chest to mimic the girl. "You're the leader of the Mai? We're meant for each other!"

"I think she's in the process of starting a Guardian fan club for Alek," Jasmine teased, in between giggles. "Alek kept on trying to intimidate the poor girl, but to no avail. I think she believes that it was love at first sight or something."

Alek rolled his eyes. "That was one of the strangest things that's ever happened to me. And I've seen strange."

Meredith chuckled. "Maybe you should've given her a photo or at least an autograph. It might help inspire her to become a better Mai," she suggested.

"Not you too…" Alek moaned, and all three women broke into laughter. "I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"

All three shook their head and continued breaking into spontaneous giggles until Alek shrugged a shoulder and his well-known egotistical self arose. "What can I say? It's just one of the hassles of being as stunning as I am."

Chloe playfully threw a crumpled piece of table napkin at him. "Enough of how awesome you are. What is it that you and Jasmine came to say?"

**-oiOio-**

"Chloe, I know it's hard…" his gray eyes slit at her as he slowly nodded, "but you should really stop staring at me."

Chloe fought the urge to roll her eyes as they shared a few chuckles. Sitting on the rooftop, waiting for Jasmine, who left them when she suddenly developed a craving for hot chocolate, their body language betrayed just how comfortable they'd started to become around each other. Chloe's head was laid on his strong, broad shoulder and his hand was lightly draped over her knee. The silence was comfortable… until Chloe broke it.

"How are you not bothered, Alek?" Chloe asked. "The Order is coming after you."

"There's nothing I can do about it now, is there?" He shrugged it off nonchalantly, his eyes fixed on the starlit sky. "I say let them come."

She took his hand in hers and squeezed hard. Though he would never admit it, she knew he was afraid too, but so much was hanging on him, on his leadership, on his strength. Alek simply couldn't afford to show any sign of weakness. She knew he was feeling the weight. She was feeling it too. The past month had not been easy. For Chloe, Alek and Jasmine, it felt like they'd been on defense mode the entire time – not just against the Order and the other races, but also against the Mai.

Valentina's funeral was their first glimpse of just how disjointed and scattered their race was. Even Jasmine, who grew up knowing all about the Mai, was unprepared to handle the chaos caused by a lot of the more experienced Mai right after the funeral services when they put Alek on the stand and began questioning his ability to lead. Alek had to defend every decision he made after being recognized as the Guardian and named Leader of the Mai. At the mention of Zane's escape, it looked like majority of the Mai were about to call a mutiny on their new leader. If it weren't for Chloe intervening on Alek and Jasmine's behalf, they probably would've done just that.

Through the whole thing, Alek remained unswerving. He held his ground. When questioned about the incident, all he said to Chloe and Jasmine was, "I didn't ask to be the Guardian. I didn't ask to be the leader. I was born to be the Guardian. I was born to be the leader. There's nothing any of us can do about it other than deal with it."

Chloe found herself breathless after hearing him say those words with so much conviction. She never could've imagined how much strength he was drawing from her, how much it meant to him when she stood before all the other Mai in his defense and made it clear to everyone that the Uniter wasn't about to support anyone else's lead other than his.

As Alek stared at Chloe that night, looking back at the past weeks they'd spent together, he knew without a single doubt that he was in love with her. And one of his greatest fears was finding out that she still didn't feel the same way about him.

Her blue eyes caught him staring. "I know it's hard, Alek…" she said, mimicking his accent, "but you should really stop staring at me."

Expecting a defense of some sort, she was taken aback when he said, "I can't help it. You're so beautiful."

Chloe felt her cheeks blush red. It was rare for him to give such a compliment.

"Not as beautiful as me of course," he grinned, a glint of arrogance sparkling in his eyes, "but beautiful nonetheless."

Chloe shook her head, used to his haughty quips, before letting her mind drift to the conversation they had over dinner. "So the Oracle really is coming…"

Alek nodded. "I don't know what's up with all of that, but things are about to get a lot more…" he paused, searching for the right word, "interesting."

Chloe felt the familiar fear creep over her. The gnawing sensation had been something she'd been dealing with constantly over the past few weeks. Interesting was an understatement. Things were about to get a lot more intense. And for some reason, she feared most for Alek.

**-oiOio-**

"So what's up with you and his royal hotness?" Amy piped up before taking a sip from her café latte.

Chloe leaned back on the chair across the table from Amy's, a pensive expression covering her face, the hint of affection toward her Guardian unmistakably there. "I honestly don't know…"

"How could you not know?" Amy pried. "You've kissed him like a gazillion times. You're always together… He and Jasmine practically live in your house now. How is it possible that you don't know what you feel for him?"

Chloe's response was instant, a clear indication that she'd been giving it a lot of thought beforehand. "What I feel for Alek… It's nothing like what I felt for Brian. That's what confuses me the most."

Amy was taken aback. Brian was not really an off-limits topic, but they seldom spoke of him. "Any news about Brian's body?" she managed to ask, much of what Chloe said after mentioning Brian's name not really registering on Amy's consciousness.

Chloe shook her head. "I feel so guilty about it. I feel like I should be doing something, looking for him maybe, at least investigate what happened to him, but I just… I don't have the heart to bring it up to Alek and if there's anyone who can help me in looking for Brian, it would be Alek. If I don't look for Brian, I feel like I'm betraying him."

"Then what's stopping you, Chloe? Is it really just because of all that's been going on? I know you better than that... If you really want to search for Brian, Alek won't be able to stop you."

Chloe bit her lip. "It's just…" she sighed. "If I go looking for Brian, it feels like I'm betraying Alek."

Amy didn't say anything more, but she couldn't help but notice how Chloe still couldn't bring herself to say "what happened to his remains" or "looking for Brian's body". It was as if Chloe was still hanging on to the hope that she hadn't lost her first love. Amy loved Chloe with all her heart and knew that she would support Chloe no matter whom her best friend chose to be with, but Amy couldn't help but root for Alek. She never understood why Chloe couldn't see that they belonged together. With Brian dead, Amy just wanted Chloe to give Alek the chance that he truly deserved.

Right about then, Amy's trail of Alek-and-Chloe-matchmaking thoughts were interrupted when out of the corner of her eye, she saw her boyfriend approaching them, his face pale with fright. "Paul?" she asked, immediately disconcerted by the look on his face. "What happened? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"I did…" Paul said, his face deadpanned as he sat on the seat beside Amy's, barely even acknowledging Chloe's presence.

Chloe creased her brows. "You saw a ghost?"

Paul looked like he was fighting the urge to scratch his head, a mixture of fright and confusion looming over his face. "I think I saw Brian standing outside."

Amy and Chloe exchanged shocked glances before Amy gently blurted out, "Paul, you can't just say stuff like that… It's…"

"But it's true…" Paul reiterated in his defense. "I saw him… He was looking through the window and then just like that, he disappeared."

From a distance away, perched over a balcony, Alek clenched his fists, overhearing the conversation between Chloe and her best friends. He swore under his breath, not knowing what to do, because he knew that Paul wasn't just seeing things.

Alek saw Brian too, but he knew well enough to recognize that Brian did not disappear into thin air because he was a ghost. Alek's jaw tightened at the realization behind why Brian suddenly became invisible. _He's Selki. Chloe was falling in love with a Selki. _That new piece of information didn't bother him as much as the obvious did. _If Brian is Selki, he's alive. A Mai's kiss isn't fatal to a Selki. _Alek shut his eyes as he ran a hand over his hair. "I can't lose you, Chloe. I don't know what I'd do if I lose you…"

**-oiOio-**

Olivia began tapping her cane on the marble floor as she cast a disapproving glare at her grandson, who had just entered the mansion's door. Brian opened his mouth to explain, but quickly shut it, knowing that explaining would be futile.

"You went to see her again." The accusing tone in her voice made him cringe. Her old, wrinkled face twisted in fury. "What if someone saw you, Brian? How could you be so careless?"

Brian rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, amazed by how elegant his grandmother still looked in spite of her anger. "I couldn't help it. It's been over a month, grandma. When will I be ready?" Brian spoke in his defense. "She thinks I'm dead! I feel like I'm losing her to him."

A soft, loving expression replaced Olivia's hard, infuriated one. She breathed a deep sigh, her heart reaching out to her lovelorn grandson. "Soon, Brian… You'll be ready soon." She walked up to him and brushed her palm over his cheek lovingly. "Please understand that he is a formidable opponent. There may come a point when you'd have to kill him if you want to be with Chloe."

Brian's face twisted with confusion, his grandmother's words taking him by shock. "Kill him? Grandma…"

A knock on the door interrupted the protests that she was sure would come from him. She was well aware that in the war between races, his good-naturedness was something that would prove to be a disadvantage. Olivia sighed before looking irritably at the door that interrupted them. She creased her brows, wondering who it could be. They weren't expecting anyone. She brushed past Brian and opened the large mahogany door. Her eyes grew wide with shock when she saw who was standing on their doorstep.

It all happened too quickly for him to comprehend. All Brian heard was a deep, gravelly voice that said "I'm sorry, Olivia" before he heard a gunshot and saw his beloved grandmother fall on the floor with a loud thud. Panic swept through him as he saw the life seep away from the one person in the world who had the answers he was so desperately trying to find.

Covered by blood and gasping for breath, "If you want the girl you love, you have to get rid of the Guardian" was the last thing she managed to say to her grandson before the Rezza matriarch breathed her last and passed away.


	12. Deja Vu

**- Déjà vu** **-**

_Olivia's face burned as red as her fiery locks as she shook her head and slammed her cane adamantly on the floor. "You can't do this, Whitley!"_

_Whitley stood his ground, not at all moved by his mother's quickfire temper. "This isn't under negotiation, mother. I've had enough. Evelyn's had enough. We don't want this life for Brian. There's too much bloodshed, too much pain." _

_Olivia gripped the head of her cane. "You can't quit being what you are! You are a Selki. You and your ancestors before you are some of our race's most powerful warriors. Our race is growing extinct. This is no time for you to back away. You know that if you quit practicing your abilities, they will slowly fade away through time."_

_"How long must this last, mother? All the races have lost so much. When will this end?" _

_"Not. Now." Olivia responded with conviction. "I don't think it will ever end. Do you?"_

_He balled his fists and shook his head, and ignoring her question, he replied, "I'm sorry, mother, but if you can't support our decision, then I'm afraid we'd have to cut you out of our lives."_

_Olivia couldn't keep herself from slapping her own son square in the face, infuriated by his insolence. "No. Brian has a destiny to fulfill... you're not going to cut me out of my grandson's life."_

_Whitley flexed his jaw to recover from the sting of her powerful slap. He stared his mother down, unflinching. "Our son is not going to grow up a murderer. Neither Evelyn nor I will stand for it."_

_"This has something to do with that friend of yours, doesn't it? That man who deserted the Order?"_

_"Johnathan has nothing to do with this. He made his choice for himself. I'm making this choice for my wife and my son."_

_"You're making a mistake, Whitley. You can't just walk out on this war."_

_"Yes, mother. I can. And I will." Whitley turned on his heels and walked away. True to his word, he cut his own mother out of his life, out of his family's life. _That was the last time she ever talked to him again_, but it wasn't the last time that she saw him..._

_Olivia was there the night Evelyn died._

_She stood hidden by the shadows as the Mai hunters, determined to end Serqet's race, approached Whitley and Evelyn on a dark alley, where they seemed to be having a fight. Whitley found himself helpless to save his wife. He tried to use his abilities as a Selki, but he was no longer strong enough to protect her. _

_Olivia was there and when the Selki who was with her motioned to help, she stopped them. _

_"He's your son, Olivia. They're about to kill his wife," her long-time friend, William, a trusted and experienced Selki, said the words that she already knew all too well. _

_Though her heart was breaking for her son, she stood her ground. "He made his choice. He has to deal with the consequences." _

_She watched as a Mai warrior swiftly broke Evelyn's neck. She listened to her son's pained cry upon seeing his beloved wife die. Olivia stood still, holding her breath, as another Mai warrior poised himself to kill Whitley, who was struggling with all the might he had left in him to get away from the two Mai hunters holding him back by the arms. _

_"You can't just stand here and let this happen, Olivia. He's your son," William insisted._

_Olivia clenched her jaw, her love for her son finally winning out over her pride. "Save him."_

_At her word, the men sped toward the Mai before the final blow that would end Whitley's life could be dealt. Within minutes, the Mai warriors lied lifeless on the ground, but it seemed Whitley cared little to even bother finding out who saved his life. As far as he was concerned, he lost his reason to live that night. He lost Evelyn. He clutched his wife's lifeless body against his chest, tears streaming down his face. "Evelyn... no... Serqet, please... bring her back to me..." His pleas fell on deaf ears, because she was gone. Never to return again._

_Olivia watched his son's pain and knew that she was just as responsible for Evelyn's death as the Mai were. Guilt gripped at her heart as Whitley raised his eyes to meet hers. __Every night since then, Olivia's dreams were haunted by the expression on her son's face when he saw her. She knew that he knew what she did. She had just taught her son a lesson he would always remember. And she knew that he was determined to make her pay for it. _

_Upon realizing what Olivia had done - that she just stood there watching as Evelyn was killed - Whitley swore two things to himself that night. One, he would keep Brian away from Olivia at all costs. Two, he was going to make sure that the Mai would pay for what they did to Evelyn._

**-oiOio-**

"No... please..." Brian clutched the lifeless hand of his grandmother, blood soaking his clothes. "This can't be happening." Anger unlike anything he'd ever known before began to swell from the pit of his stomach, settling on his chest as he stood up and made his way to the door in search for the murderer who just took Olivia's life.

A soft wind blew past the vast front lawn of the lavish mansion that had been his home over the past few weeks. There wasn't a trace of anyone there. Whoever shot Olivia was gone and Brian found himself trembling with fury at the cold-blooded murderer who took the life of someone he deeply treasured and loved. As he stood by the door, clutching its posts, the deserted driveway and the largeness of the mansion made him feel so alone. It felt as if he had no one and the pain in his heart sought after one person, one refuge - Chloe.

Brian barely noticed when the servants came flocking around him and his grandmother's lifeless body - some screaming, some shocked silent, some crying. Their panicked questions about what happened fell on deaf ears. He couldn't bear standing there. He had just lost another woman whom he loved. He wasn't about to lose another. Not if he could help it.

It was as if everything froze when it happened, because Brian, without as much as a word of explanation to anyone, disappeared into thin air, leaving everyone in horror.

Within seconds after Brian's disappearance from the mansion, Whitley, who was on the phone speaking to one of the private investigators whom he hired to keep an eye out for his son, raised his head to find Brian standing in front of him.

Calm and collected as usual, Whitley didn't even flinch. He eased back on the recliner, his eyes set on his only child. "Never mind," he said through the phone. "He's here." He then placed the receiver down, his eyes never leaving his son. "So I see that you already know what you are, what you can do."

"Yes," Brian said, unconcealed anger still evident in his tone of voice, "and you're about to tell me everything else I don't know. Whether you want to or not, you are going to help me do what I need to do."

**-oiOio-**

The strong, experienced Mai watched from a rooftop as Alek walked past the busy sidewalk, an agitated expression on his face. Quentin looked around, trying to spot if anyone was following their leader. Quentin had been instructed by the Oracle herself to watch after the Guardian, but it wasn't just the Oracle's summons that caused him to make it a goal to protect Alek. There was someone else whose bidding Quentin was heeding to.

"Are you sure that he saw Whitley's boy?" the voice from the other end of the line inquired.

Quentin nodded. "I'm positive. He saw the Selki."

"Okay then. I think it's time. Thank you, Quentin." The line went dead.

Quentin stared at the young man who was now their revered leader. _He's about to go through far more than I think he can handle. We can only hope that his bond with the Uniter is strong enough to get him through what's coming._

Meanwhile, the person Quentin was conversing with sank into a wooden chair in a corner of the large warehouse apartment he was living in. He ran his hand through his hair and blew out a sigh.

"Are you sure it's time?" a familiar voice asked him.

He looked up and nodded at the young man he had just recently saved from certain death. "Yes, Zane. It's time."

"They're after Alek now, aren't they? They know he's the Guardian?" Zane asked, leaning on the edge of the wooden table across the man who was the mastermind of more Mai rescue attempts than Zane could keep track of.

The man cast him a meaningful glance. "That's correct."

"He hates me."

"Can you blame him?"

"How do I help save someone who would most likely kill me the moment he lays his eyes on me?"

"It's not Alek you have to worry about, Zane. It's Jasmine." The look on his face told Zane that he'd been at this for more years than Zane could know and that fact was both a source of comfort and unease on Zane's part. "The Guardian's fate is in the Uniter's hands just as much as her fate is in his. There's nothing you can do right now to save your brother. What you need to do now is focus on getting back on the Mai's good graces. That won't be possible until Jasmine accepts you."

Zane frowned. He was well aware of what he did to Jasmine. He played her, used her, broke her heart. He killed Valentina and left Jasmine for dead. How on earth was he going to get back on Jasmine's good graces?

As if reading the young Mai's mind, the famed mastermind smiled. "I was once an assassin too, Zane. If I could find redemption, so can you. Love will always be stronger than hate."

**-oiOio-**

Jasmine burst into the apartment, her face creased by frustration. She dumped the large black duffel bag over the kitchen counter and blew out a sigh through gritted teeth. Clutching the edge of the granite counter tightly, she shut her eyes. One face graced her mind. Zane's. The image of the smile on his face - a smile that had charmed her like no other guy was able to do before - only served to sicken her, infuriate her. And he was still nowhere to be found. She let out a controlled scream to vent out her agitation, slamming one hand against the counter top.

"I take it you still haven't found him." Alek's baritone voice came from behind her, startling her.

Not in the mood for her cousin's arrogant jibes, Jasmine spun around to face him, a cold glare pasted on her face - a glare that quickly faded away, replaced by concern, when she saw his appearance. There was no amusement, no playful glint of arrogance on his handsome face. His clothes and hair were disheveled, his face pale, his shoulders unable to conceal a slight tremble. "Alek? What happened?"

Alek opened his mouth to explain, but simply settled with, "Nothing." He began to walk away, headed for his room.

Jasmine shook her head, refusing to be ignored. She caught up with him, grabbing his arm and moving to face him. "What's wrong?"

They never said it out loud to each other before, but she was his best friend and he was hers. For so long, they only had each other to rely on. Jasmine knew what Alek was like when something was really bothering him and just by the look on his face, she knew that something was very wrong.

"Let it go, Jasmine," he responded, sounding authoritative and commanding. He was attempting to pull the leader of the Mai card, attempting to intimidate his cousin into submission.

She was unrelenting. "Tell me, Alek. You don't have to deal with all of this alone."

"You obviously have a lot to deal with yourself, Jasmine." He bit his lip, keeping himself from saying some rude remark about her failure to find her lost lover. He knew that this was no time to pick a fight with her. Zane was a topic he didn't want to have to discuss with Jasmine. "Just let this go, Jas..."

"No." Her grip on his arm tightened.

Alek sighed. He knew how stubborn she could get. His shoulders sagged in surrender. "He's alive. Brian... I saw him."

"What?" Jasmine creased her brows. "But... how is that possible? Does that mean the Uniter's kiss can't kill humans?"

Alek smiled bitterly. "No... It means that Chloe's human isn't human at all."

Jasmine slit her eyes at him, waiting for an explanation.

"He's Selki, Jasmine. Brian is a Selki."

"That's not possible. Selkis are extinct."

"Apparently not," Alek replied confidently, "because I saw him. I saw him disappear. Only Selkis can teleport. And I'm pretty sure I saw him do just that."

Jasmine gulped. "Have you told Chloe?"

"Do you take me for a fool, Jasmine? This is Brian we're talking about! She would run to his arms as soon as she finds out he's alive..." Alek choked as he finished saying the words. He hated to admit out loud - even just through mere implication - that he feared losing Chloe.

"Alek... you said it yourself. You don't want her to choose you just because you're the only option. Besides, if Brian is a Selki, you may need to protect her from him." Jasmine trembled even as she said it. Of all the ancient races, the Selkis have proven to be their most formidable opponent. It was the Serqet's race and their alliance with the Order that had played such a great hand in exterminating so many Mai... this included Jasmine's father and Alek's family.

"He loves her. He wouldn't harm a hair on her head," Alek responded resolutely, though doubts were now assailing his thoughts.

"You're seriously telling me that you won't tell Chloe?"

Alek looked her straight in the eye, a deadpan expression on his face. "Like I said, Jas. Let this go."

He was about to walk away, but Jasmine's grip on his arm tightened. This time, he clenched his jaw and gave her a warning glare, indicating that he was done talking.

Jasmine's face paled as a new sense of realization dawned on her. She was still holding his arm, but this time, she was holding on for support. "Not all Selkis can teleport..."

Alek's jaw tightened and his cheekbone slightly twitched with recognition. He nodded slowly. "Just the most powerful ones."

**-oiOio-**

She didn't know what force caused her to step out of the house that night and walk down the front stoop that led to their home, but there she was, head bowed down, mind and emotions reeling, hands tucked inside her pockets, walking down those familiar stone steps. The only explanation that Chloe gave her mother was that she needed to clear her thoughts and just wanted to have a quick evening walk. Meredith hesitantly allowed her to go, finding comfort in the knowledge that Alek had a handful of Mai constantly watching her daughter.

Apparently, Chloe wouldn't get very far, because when Chloe lifted her eyes from the stone steps to find a shadowy figure standing at the bottom step of their front stoop, all blood drained from her face at who she saw. Her steps slowed down as she stared, blinking her eyes several times to make sure she wasn't just seeing things.

"Brian?"

Unable to say anything beyond just his name, her heart skipped a beat as she moved closer, wondering to herself if she was imagining him.

"Chloe…" he spoke, his voice choked with emotion.

She stood in front of him and looked into those gorgeous eyes of his, eyes that had caused her to go weak in the knees so many times before, but for some reason was having no effect on her at the moment. She raised her hand hesitantly and brushed it against his cheek as if to check if he was indeed there… real… standing before her.

Brian looked down at those lovely blue eyes of hers. The feel of her fingers on his skin made his spine tingle. Before he could keep himself from doing it, he gave in to his longing for her and kissed those sweet pink lips.

Frozen with astonishment, Chloe stood still, unresponsive to his advances, reasoning to herself that she was too overwhelmed by shock to respond to the passionate kiss he was throwing her way. When their lips parted, Chloe bit her bottom lip and wondered why she felt so numb, so empty. The lack of emotion was short-lived, however, because within seconds, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the familiar form of her Guardian standing nearby. An anguished sense of guilt came crashing down on her as her breath hitched.

Alek found himself clenching his fists as she slowly glanced his way. It made him feel sick to see a Selki touching her the way Brian was. And the fact that it was him… the fact that anyone, any man other than himself was touching Chloe…

"Alek…" she croaked, pushing the Selki's hand, laid on her waist, aside.

Alek slowly backed away from them, knowing for certain that if he didn't get away, he would definitely not be able to keep himself from ripping Brian's pretty little face off. He turned his back on the gnawing sight and began walking away, unsure what to do. He almost sighed with relief when he heard Chloe calling his name, ignoring Brian's plea to let him go. He soon felt Chloe's fingers wrap around his arm, coaxing him to turn around and face her.

"Alek, please…" her soft voice pleaded. When Alek turned to look at her, Chloe felt his pain grip at her heart, because for the first time since she met him, she saw a tear running down Alek's cheek. "Alek…"

"Please tell me that was nothing…" was all he could manage to say, his voice broken with a slight quiver, the deep hurt overshadowing the anger in his tone.

Chloe looked back at the form of Brian standing at the bottom step of their front stoop. _How can I say that having Brian here – alive and well – is nothing? I was in love with Brian and I thought that I killed him and he's here… He came back to me. That isn't nothing…_

Her hesitation was more than enough to answer his question.

Alek shook his head forlornly. "I'm in love with you, Chloe," he finally admitted, the words coming out of his mouth like a rushing wave before he could stop it from doing so.

Chloe felt her throat begin to choke with tears at the sight of how hurt he was. What he said didn't come as a surprise to her. He didn't need to say it. It showed in the way he was with her, in the way he cared for her. She just didn't know how to respond, because she was still torn up by the frustrating love triangle she found herself entangled in. She deeply cared for Alek, but was that really all that she felt for him?

"I've been in love with you for some time now…" Alek gripped her shoulders and looked Brian's way. He then quickly returned a tearful gaze at her before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, holding her tightly against him as if he were afraid that she would somehow disappear if he loosened his hold. His warm breath whispered into her ear, "I love you, Chloe, but I just... I don't know... I don't think I can do this... I'm sorry."

Chloe's heart began to double its speed. She knew Alek quite well now and he was not one to back down from anything - if only to maintain his stupid pride - so to hear him seemingly admit defeat... Chloe bit her lip and she began to tremble as he pulled away from her. "Alek… what are you saying?" A sense of dread began to fill her entire being. "What do you m-" her voice broke.

He lovingly brushed a hand against her long blonde curls and looked at her as if he would never see her again. "Goodbye, Chloe."

Upon hearing those words, it felt like her world came crashing down on her. When he turned his back on her and began walking away, she started gasping for breath, the pain in her chest making it difficult to breathe. As she watched Alek's form fading from her view, blurred by her tears, she felt as if the air she needed to breathe was slowly being taken from her.

"Let him go," Brian's voice spoke from behind her.

It was at that exact moment that Chloe finally understood the reason behind why what she felt for Alek was nothing like what she felt for Brian. It was a truth she could no longer deny. She had been deeply infatuated with Brian, but it was Alek, her Guardian and protector, that she was truly in love with.

She liked how Brian made her feel. Being around him, everything felt carefree and casual. Brian made her feel like her help and assistance were needed. It was fun being around him. There was just this ease, this sense of relaxation when she was with Brian, but digging deeper, Chloe wasn't certain if she felt anything solid and lasting in what she felt for the human. All of it... it was just fun.

With Alek, things always felt intense and overwhelming, sometimes even intimidating. He always came on strong, challenging her on every level. She realized how they were a match in every way. They evened out each other's strengths and weaknesses, making one formidable whole as a team. Unlike Brian, Alek made it clear to her that he could do well on his own, without her assistance, but she could sense his need for her and now that he was walking away from her, she was fully aware of her need for him. Alek wanted and accepted her. And she felt the exact same way about him. She knew Alek – imperfections and all, no pretenses, nothing about his personality hidden from her – and she accepted him. She needed him. She wanted him. She loved him.

And she was about to lose him.

She felt Brian's strong grip hold her arm, coaxing her to face him. "Let him go," was his repeated plea.

Looking into his eyes, Chloe began to acknowledge the truth that was now dawning on her. She lived through the past few weeks without Brian and she survived, but the thought of going through even just a day without Alek felt sickeningly unbearable. "Brian… I don't know how I feel about all this, about you…" she managed to say in between her sobs, "but I know how I feel about him. I can't lose him. I can't lose Alek."

Brian's jaw tightened and he shook his head. "Chloe…"

"I'm sorry, Brian." She backed away from him making it very clear to Brian and to herself that she had finally made her choice. She would rather lose Brian than lose Alek. Determined to chase her Guardian, she turned around only to find another surprise coming her way, because she found herself face to face with the last person she would ever expect to find standing before her.

"Hello, Chloe."

"Dad?"


	13. Breaking Point

**- Breaking Point –**

_Beautiful day..._

_"How is it that you are terrified of getting on a Ferris wheel, but not afraid of getting inside a photo booth?" Chloe asked as they walked out of the booth, Alek's arm easily laid over her shoulders, a grin pasted on his face. _

_Alek cast a glance at Paul who just brushed past him, the look on his gray eyes a cross between annoyance and affection. He then looked at the lovely young girl cradled in his arms. It felt so right to be with her this way. __"That's because the exit is right beside you," Alek said, pointing at the photo booth's exit. "And I can get out any time I want. I won't fall down 300 feet the moment I step out of a photo booth." That familiar cocky, know-it-all smile formed on his lips. It was almost as if he was taunting her about not knowing the answer to her own question. _

_"So it's not really enclosed spaces you don't like... It's being trapped in one."_

_Alek gave it some thought and gave her one curt nod. "Yes." He then gave her a weird look when he felt her hand snake gently against his back and across his waist. "When will you admit it, Chloe?"_

_She returned the weird look he was giving her. "Admit what?"_

_"That you want me."_

_Normally, she would've rolled her eyes, but she was having too much fun to be annoyed with his arrogant quips. "When I actually want you, Alek, I promise I won't hesitate to admit it." She playfully tapped a hand against his cheek before walking away toward Amy._

_Alek watched her go, crossing his arms over his chest as he enjoyed the sight of Chloe laughing and joking around with Amy and Jasmine, who always seemed to have Zane permanently attached to her over the past few days. He focused mainly on Chloe, knowing full well that he wouldn't give a moment's hesitation to sacrifice his own life for one of hers. Not because of duty. He had finally admitted it to himself after their encounter with the Jackals. Everything he did for Chloe, he was doing out of love. To him, it sounded sappy and even pathetic, but it was the truth, and he was never one to shy away from truth._

_Paul, noticing the direction of Alek's lovelorn stare, stood beside his best friend's protector and snapped a photo of Chloe from his Polaroid. He then smiled at Alek, who gave him a questioning look. Once the photo was processed, Paul handed it to Alek. "There. You're welcome."_

_Alek opened his mouth, embarrassed that he was caught staring at Chloe, but just shrugged it off and braced himself for the teasing Paul was sure to throw his way. _

_"Just hang on," Paul nodded knowingly, tapping him on the shoulder. _

_Alek gave Paul's hand on his shoulder a sideward glance as if to say, "Get your hands off me."_

_Paul seemed to get his drift, because he quickly pulled his hand away. He then gave Alek a look that was half-serious, half-amused. "Chloe doesn't always know what she wants, but once she figures it out, she pursues it relentlessly. One stubborn girl that friend of mine, so just wait for her to figure things out for herself."_

_Alek turned his gaze from the photo of Chloe in his hand to Chloe's long-time friend. He then slit his eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."_

_Paul only smiled in response, before throwing out a sarcastic quip. "Sure you don't. Now come on, kitty cat, stop drooling all over my friend and prepare to get beat!" His eyes excitedly roamed the various games at the fair. _

_"Okay wait..." Alek stopped him, an intimidating glare crossing over the Mai's face. _

_Upon seeing the seriousness on the much larger, much stronger guy's face, the Paul's smile quickly faded away as it sank in to him that he had just gotten himself into trouble._

_"One," Alek said, lifting a finger to demonstrate. "You are never to call me kitty cat again." He took a step toward Paul to try and intimidate the boy further. "Understood?"_

_Paul gulped and nodded. _

_"And two..." Alek paused and then grinned. "Me? Get beat? By you? You don't stand a chance."_

_Paul's face broke into a smile once again, a picture of evident relief coming over him. Without saying anything else, he headed for the booths, with Alek trailing behind him, but not before Alek stole another glance at Chloe. Satisfied that she was okay, he took one more look at her photo, took out his wallet and slipped it in, before preparing himself to show Paul how all these games were supposed to be done._

**-oiOio-**

Jasmine looked up from her computer monitor when she heard Alek enter through the front door, slamming it shut before heading off to his room. Jasmine furrowed her brows, intrigued by Alek's display of temper when he once again slammed the door to his room shut. Battling on whether or not she should check out what was going on, it seemed curiosity eventually won out, because she tentatively walked to his room and without bothering to knock, pushed the door open. She raised a brow when she found out what Alek was doing.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, noticing the open luggage on his bed where some of his clothes were strewn in one messy bunch.

Alek dropped another pile of clothes onto the luggage before standing up straight and glaring at her, fists clenched, muscles flexed, looking just about ready to pounce on her. "You should knock."

"What's going on, Alek?" Jasmine pried. "Have you told her? What did she say?"

"I didn't need to tell her. She knows. I went there and I found them kissing." His nostrils flared at the recollection and he had to shake his head to get rid of the mental image. It was all he could do to keep himself from tearing something apart.

"So that's it?" Jasmine spoke up, matching his menacing stance with one of her own. "You're just going to leave? You're not even going to fight for her? He's a Selki, Alek! He can't be trusted… Who knows what he's going to do to her? Besides, this is not just about your feelings for her. This is about your duty as the Guardian. You can't just give up on Chlo-"

"Who said anything about giving up on Chloe?"Alek heatedly interrupted Jasmine's diatribe, frustration seeping out from within him. He tried to control his breaths and calm down as he shot his cousin a look that told her that she should really shut up before he breaks something. "Don't talk to me about duty, Jasmine. I know my duty…" He paused, reminiscing over the past month where his driving force had been Chloe, his love for her and his duty to protect her and lead their race. "I just…" He heaved a sigh, rubbing one palm over his forehead, trying to sort through the confusion in his mind. "I don't know if I can do this again. I can't stand on some ledge, looking after her, watching her with him. I don't have it in me. Just seeing that kiss… It already feels like I've lost her. I don't know what to do with that. I don't know how to handle that again."

Jasmine was taken aback. Alek had never been so open about the way he was feeling before and the fact that he was now… it told her how broken up and confused about it he was. Still, aware of how grave the situation was, she shoved the sympathy she felt for Alek aside and kept challenging him. "So you _are _giving up."

Alek's jaw clenched as he looked away from her, eyes downcast. _What exactly am I doing? Am I really just going to walk away from Chloe? I love her. _"No. I can never give up on Chloe."

Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief only to get alarmed when Alek continued folding his clothes and placing them on his bag, neatly and calmly this time. "Alek…"

"I just need a break, Jasmine," he spoke up sternly before she could say anything else. "After everything that has happened, I think you can agree that I deserve it. I trust that you can watch after Chloe while I'm away." There was a certain tone of resolve in his voice that told her that nothing she said could change his mind.

Jasmine walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. It was something she'd never done before and it surprised him, but he appreciated it nonetheless and he returned the well-meaning embrace.

Jasmine understood more than anyone else what he was going through. In fact, over the past few weeks, she'd been waiting for him to break, to crumble. Heaven knows it had happened to both her and Chloe several times after Valentina's death, which brought on more complications than they knew how to handle, but Alek had withstood it all quietly and with a strength and maturity Jasmine didn't even know that he had in him.

_Perhaps he's reached his breaking point, _she reasoned to herself and determined that in the same way he supported her when she was at her own breaking point, she was going to be there for him in his. "Don't be gone for too long, Alek. Chloe may not know and appreciate it yet, but she won't be able to last without you."

A bitter smile formed on Alek's lips before the image of Brian kissing Chloe once again plagued his thoughts. He gritted his teeth. _With him around, I doubt she'll even notice. _

**-oiOio-**

Chloe blinked her eyes several times, trying to make sure that she wasn't just seeing things, that Johnathan wasn't just some hallucination her confused brain concocted.

"It's been a while…" his deep gravelly voice spoke hesitantly, as if he was unsure what to say. The truth was that Johnathan was fighting the urge to scratch his head and just run away. He never thought that once again seeing the daughter he abandoned so many years ago would have such a powerful effect on him.

Chloe stood stunned, not knowing what to say, not knowing what to do. She'd been dreaming of this moment over the past ten years, and now that it was here, she realized she was nowhere near prepared to handle it. There were so many unanswered questions, so much worry, disappointment and hurt left behind by his sudden disappearance. As if the urgency she felt to chase after the man she loves wasn't enough to send her in for an emotional whirl, the gamut of conflicting thoughts and feelings that crashed down on her upon seeing her father was more than she knew how to handle. All she could manage to squeak out was, "You're alive."

"Yes, and we have a lot to talk about and catch up on, sweetheart," Johnathan nodded, "but right now, you have to…"

"That voice…" Brian suddenly spoke up.

Chloe almost jumped up, startled. With her determination to chase after Alek and then finding herself standing face to face with her father, she actually forgot that Brian was still there. She turned to face him and her breath hitched when she saw anger the likes of which she never thought he was capable of.

"It was you," Brian hissed. "You killed my grandmother."

Chloe's mouth dropped open, overcome with surprise by what he said, knowing just how much meeting his grandmother meant to him and the fact that he was dead made her heart reach out to him. "Brian…"

"It was you, wasn't it? Your voice…"

Johnathan shook his head calmly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Brian. I didn't kill…" The implication dawned on him and Johnathan gulped. "Wait. Olivia's dead?"

Brian was seeing red and losing reason. "Like you didn't know that..." Before he could stop himself, his irises darkened and the sting rays came out of his wrists, filled with the venomous substance scorpions were known to have.

Having far more experience than the young Selki, Johnathan was easily able to dodge the blow coming his way. He was well aware that one sting from Brian could prove to be fatal on his part and he wasn't about to die in front of Chloe, not right now... not when he just saw her again.

Chloe stood unmoving at the sight unfolding before her. She tried to say something to stop Brian from hurting Johnathan, but no words came out. Everything was simply too overwhelming, too much to take in and in the midst of the chaos surrounding her, she didn't know how to react or even who to help.

The struggle between Brian and Johnathan lasted for several minutes before the Mai, alerted by the danger their Uniter was under, began flocking in to stand guard over Chloe. Upon their arrival, everything stood at a stand still. Apparently, they came just in time to keep Brian from striking Johnathan with a rather fatal cut.

"You're surrounded, Selki," Liam, the Mai Alek placed in charge of watching over Chloe at the time, warned. "Back off."

If Chloe wasn't so pale with fright at Brian's transformation, she most likely would have been annoyed to realize that Alek still hadn't lessened the number of guards assigned to her, but the remembrance of her Guardian was quickly pushed aside by what was currently happening. "Selki?"

Johnathan heaved a sigh, placing an arm over Chloe's shoulder as he addressed Brian, "We're not your enemies, Brian. You don't have to get entangled in all this."

Brian flexed his jaw as he assessed the situation, looking at the handful of Mai surrounding him. He remembered how Olivia told him that the Selki could not stand against Mai in terms of brute strength and knew that he didn't stand a chance against them. He glared murderously at Johnathan. All Brian could do as he shook his head and started to back away was look at Chloe and say, almost accusingly, "He's your father?" And just like that, he disappeared.

Chloe – shocked and not knowing what to do and how to react – took one look at Johnathan, her bewilderment evident in her bright blue eyes. Her shoulders were beginning to slightly tremble.

Johnathan stepped forward to pull her in an embrace, but she backed away, shaking her head. She lifted a hand mid air as if to ward him off. "No... don't..." Trying to sort out what she was thinking and feeling, she realized that all she wanted to do at that moment was find Alek, knowing that he could provide the calm and the strength that she needed in order to think this through. She then remembered the look on his face as he said goodbye to her only moments ago and a sick feeling settled on her stomach. Chloe met her father's questioning gaze. "I don't know why you're here and I have so many questions, but…" she hesitated, afraid that Johnathan would be gone, never to be seen again, if she just left him. "I just can't lose him," she finally managed to say after a short pause.

"I know," Johnathan nodded. "I understand. I'll be here when you get back. Go after him. He needs you."

Chloe wondered to herself if Johnathan knew that she was referring to Alek or if it was Brian that he thought she was after, but at that point, she didn't really care. She began to speed her way to the penthouse apartment that was her Guardian's home, hoping that she would find him there. Desperate and out of breath, she frantically knocked on their large wooden door.

She barely even acknowledged Jasmine when the older Mai opened the door. Chloe just brushed past her friend and walked into the apartment, her eyes roaming the place for Alek. "Alek!" she called for him, before finally turning toward Jasmine when he didn't respond. "Where is he?"

"He left," Jasmine said, unable to hide the annoyance she felt toward Chloe for once again breaking Alek's heart. "After everything we've been through, after everything Alek and you had gone through, I can't believe you'd still choose Brian over him."

The frustration was beginning to eat at Chloe. She wasn't in the proper state of mind to handle Jasmine's accusing tone. "Jas, you got it all wrong, okay? I'd try to explain, but..." Chloe gritted her teeth, shutting her eyes to try and calm her thoughts.

When Chloe opened her eyes, Jasmine could see the sense of urgency there.

"I love Alek, Jasmine. I am in love with your cousin. And if I don't find him soon, I honestly believe I'm gonna go mad, so please… where is he?" Chloe bit her lower lip at the thought of Alek being gone for good. It was something she just couldn't bring herself to accept. "What do you mean he left?"

Jasmine opened her mouth, about to say something regarding Chloe's ungratefulness toward Alek, but what Chloe just said began to sink in. "Wait… did you just say…" A smile formed on Jasmine's lips and her eyes brightened with delight.

"Jasmine!" Chloe held Jasmine by the arms, shaking her slightly. "Please… for crying out loud… focus… where is Alek?"

Jasmine swallowed hard. "I was on the phone with him just before you came. His flight should be leaving..." she checked her watch. "Now."

Chloe's face paled. "His flight?"

"He's headed for London," Jasmine frowned, shooting her friend a sympathetic glance. "Maybe the plane hasn't left yet… I could call him and…"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chloe spun around and headed for the door. Jasmine chased after her, holding her by the arm, "Where are you going?"

Chloe sighed, asking herself if what she was about to do even made any sense. "I'm going after him."

Jasmine creased her brows. "To London?"

"If that's where he is, then that's where I have to go."

**-oiOio-**

Simone raised a brow as she listened to the voice speaking through the phone she was clutching over her ear. She tapped her foot impatiently before ending the call. She then looked at Jakob, the feared leader of the Order. "He's headed for London," she explained.

Jakob leaned back on his desk, running a hand over his graying hair. He took his time, relishing her anxiety, before speaking up, "I'm growing impatient, Simone. How many times has this rogue agent been able to foil your attempts to end the Guardian's life?" A controlled fury stemmed out of the patriarch's tone.

Simone gulped. "We'll fix this."

"Make sure you do. You've failed one too many times for your own good. I'm growing very, very weary of you."

Simone opened her mouth but the look on the man's face told her clearly that she would fare far better if she kept her mouth shut.

"Use Rezza's boy well. I understand that he trusts you after the visits you've paid Olivia. Use that to your advantage."

"He may not be..."

Jakob's eyes slightly widened, incensed that she would dare speak and she quickly kept silent. "I want Alek Petrov dead. With the Guardian gone, the Uniter will be far easier to destroy. If he isn't dead by the end of this week, you best make sure I don't get my hands on you, Simone. You will sorely regret it."

She swallowed hard and nodded, knowing that Jakob was not a man she was willing or ready to cross. "I'll get to it immediately," she managed to squeak out before spinning around to leave. She remembered that one chance she once had to get away from the grip of the Order the way Johnathan was able to do. Every time, she found herself shoving away that sense of regret at not having left. Eager to get away from their leader, she sped up her steps only to cringe when she heard him call her name. "Yes, sir?" she asked, a slight tremble in her voice.

The coldness and hatred in his voice sent chills down her spine as he said his final command. "When you find the Guardian..." He paused and she could hear him softly drumming his fingers over his desk, before he continued, "...make him suffer."


	14. No Air

**- No Air -**

_Bright blue eyes twinkled with unadulterated glee as she looked up with admiration at the father whom she adored and who adored her right back. Her blonde curls were raised in a bouncy ponytail, strands of which fell to her small face as she sat comfortably on her dad's lap, clutching their newly-created little book in her small hands. _

_With his five-year-old girl in his arms and the enticing waft of the Chinese food that his wife had just prepared filling the air, Johnathan couldn't have asked for anything more. He was with the two girls he loved the most. He never thought it possible that he could love a Mai, but with Chloe comfortably leaning against his chest, her voice sparkling with delight as she read what he wrote, he knew it. He loved her. He loved his little girl. _

_"Daddy, are you leaving again tonight?" a distinct sadness crossed Chloe's little face as she turned her sight from the book to her father._

_Johnathan frowned at the reminder of what he had to do that night. As far as Meredith and Chloe were concerned, he was on his way to another reporter's onshore assignment for the news publication he was working with and that was true. What they didn't know was that the news publication was owned by Jakob and was only one of the Order's many covers. What he was really going to do in Europe was fight alongside the Selki against the Mai, who, after so many years of dormancy, already had enough of the massacres and were now determined to fight back. Looking at his little one, the familiar protective urge he had over his wife and daughter resurfaced. He pulled Chloe in a warm embrace, kissing the top of the little girl's head. "I'll be back soon, sweetheart."_

_"I don't want you to go..."_

_"Daddy has to go," Johnathan reiterated. He'd said it to her so many times before and the more he said it, the more he hated saying it, but it was no less true. He had to go. If only to protect his family, if only to keep the Order from raising any suspicions about his personal life, he had to keep doing what he'd been doing all his life. He wanted out so badly, but he didn't know how to get out. He was trapped into this lifestyle, this double life and he intended to keep it up for as long as he could if only to feel the satisfaction he felt then, holding Chloe in his arms and watching his wife approach them with that loving expression on her hazelnut brown eyes. _

_Leaning the side of her head on the doorpost, Meredith kept a steady gaze on her husband and daughter, remaining silent for a few minutes, drinking in the sight before speaking up, "We're eating soon." A sheepish smile formed on her face – the same one she always had whenever she intended to ask Johnathan for something. "Do you mind taking the trash out before we have dinner?"_

_Johnathan grinned. He lifted Chloe, who was groaning about them not finishing the story yet. He gently silenced her with a soft admonition. "Your mom needs something, Chloe. We'll finish the story later, alright?"_

_Though disappointed, Chloe nodded with understanding as she clutched the book in her little hands. She lifted it up for Meredith to see. "Look! Dad and I made it! It's Hannah Hannity!" _

_"That's awesome, honey. Will you tell me the story while I finish up preparing dinner?" Meredith cooed, casting another loving glance at Johnathan. _

_He walked to her, held her waist and kissed her softly. _

_"I love you so much," she told him. _

_He never got tired of hearing her say it. It still made his stomach flutter with excitement. "Implied. Seriously implied."_

_She brushed the back of her hand against his cheek before holding Chloe's hand and walking off to the kitchen._

_He stood watching them walk away, swearing to himself that he would do everything possible to make sure that they were protected and safe, before heading off to take the trash out. Minutes later, Johnathan was rubbing his palms together as he hiked up the steps that led to their front door when he heard a voice that sent chills down his spine._

_"What is going on, Jon?"_

_He spun around and felt his face pale when he saw Whitley standing at the end of the stone steps, looking up at him. His fists clenched as he demanded through gritted teeth, "What are you doing here, Whitley?"_

_Whitley met his challenging stance with an equally challenging one. "No, Johnathan. What are __you__ doing? Who are these people you're living with?"_

_"They're nobody, okay? Just..." Johnathan's breath hitched as he took a step back. "She's a single mother and the child is her adopted daughter. I'm helping them out. That's all."_

_Whitley's jaw tightened. "Do you take me for a fool, Jon? I've been having you followed... I've seen you with this woman..."_

_Rage filled Johnathan at Whitley's blatant admittance at having put him under surveillance. He laid both hands on the Selki's chest and pushed Whitley back. "Who gave you the right to -" he stopped short of what he was about to say, knowing full well that had he been in Whitley's situation, he would've done exactly the same thing. He quickly realized that it would do him more harm to fight his best friend over this instead of trying to explain himself. He sealed his lips as he tried to control his breaths. "I love her," he eventually admitted._

_"You __love __her?" There was almost a hint of mockery on the way Whitley said it. A couple of bitter chuckles escaped his lips. "Have you gone mad, Johnathan? Who is this woman? Does she know about who you are? What you do? Does your father know about..."_

_"No, he doesn't," Johnathan interrupted, glaring at his best friend to be silent. There was a firmness and a fiery determination in the way he was saying his words. "And he can't know."_

_Not quite knowing what to make of what was going on, Whitley simply resorted to asking further questions. "How long has this been going on?"_

_"Longer than you think."_

_"And you kept it secret all this time? Even from me?"_

_"It was the only way I knew to protect her... She knows nothing about me. Telling her would only ruin her. And she's perfect. What I have with her, with our daughter... I don't want to ruin it."_

_"This is madness, Johnathan. If your father finds out..."_

_"He can't find out," Johnathan said sternly. "You of all people should understand. You have Evelyn and Brian..."_

_"...but Evelyn knows, and eventually, Brian will too."_

_"That's just the point!" He broke out. "Brian will find out about what he is, about what you and Evelyn do, and then what, Whitley? Is this the life you want for your son? Would you have his innocence tainted with blood on his hands? This sure as hell isn't the life I want for my daughter." Johnathan shook his head. "This is not the life I want for Chloe."_

_The words struck Whitley so hard, it almost blew the wind out of him. He stood for a couple of seconds, stunned. He had seen the looks of concern Evelyn would throw Brian's way whenever they returned from a mission. She had often tried to speak to him about whether or not they should reveal to Brian what he was. Unlike other races, the skills of Selkis are honed. Unless acknowledged and used, they did not arise at certain periods of a Selki's life the same way a Mai's powers would when the Mai turns sixteen. Evelyn often said that they could keep Brian human. Until then, he only scoffed at the suggestion, but now, he was faced with the reality of what kind of life he was leading his son to. Whitley breathed a sigh. "In any case, you have to realize that you can't hide this forever. Your father is already suspecting your actions. It won't be long until he finds out about all this, and when he does, what do you think Jakob will do?"_

_Johnathan's jaw tightened. It was an inevitable reality he knew he would eventually have to face, but not that night. "I don't know. For now, my dad... Jakob... can't find out. I'll see you tonight, Whitley." He turned around and stopped a few paces after. "I trust no one will find out about this from you."_

_The only sound that followed was a few deep breaths from Whitley, before he responded, "No harm will come to your wife. Not from me at least... You have my word."_

_Many years later, it was that promise that kept Whitley from harming Meredith even after having been given strict instructions to kill her. It was the same reason he lied about planting that chip on her. She was still Johnathan's beloved and though Whitley would stop at nothing to destroy the Uniter, he would never harm Meredith._

**-oiOio-**

The silence was unbearable and yet neither of them dared break it. As she sliced carrots over the kitchen counter top, Meredith kept stealing glances at Johnathan, sometimes to ascertain if he was indeed standing there right in front of her, sometimes to glare at him accusingly for what his sudden disappearance had put her through.

Johnathan stood stiffly leaning over the counter top, his hands clutching the marble edges so tightly, his knuckles were growing white. "Meredith..." he began to say.

Just the sound of his voice made her freeze. She clung to the knife as if she were battling with herself whether or not she should hurl it at him. Her breaths were controlled as a million conflicting thoughts and emotions surged from within her. _How dare he... how dare he show up after all these years,_was the thought that consumed her at one moment followed quickly by _I love him so much._Before she could hold it back, the swirl of emotions warring inside her unleashed the dam of tears that she'd been holding back for longer than she could remember. Wet beads of sorrowful tears began damping her cheeks even as she profusely tried to wipe them away. "Johnathan, don't..." she managed to say in between sobs, her voice breaking. After a moment's pause, she was able to softly admonish him, "I can't even bear listening to your voice right now."

To her relief, the phone rang, saving her from the inevitable conversation she was bound to have with her long lost husband. She lifted the receiver and said a hoarse "Hello?" through the line.

"Mom?" Chloe's voice, tinged with anxiety, echoed from the other side of the line. There was a momentary silence. "Is he there?"

Meredith looked Johnathan's way and quickly averted her gaze when she realized that he was watching her. She nodded, before remembering that there was no way Chloe could possibly know that she nodded. "Yes," she replied curtly, not wanting her voice to break into sobs again. Calming herself down, her motherly self came to the forefront of the situation. "Chloe, where are you? Is everything okay?"

"Mom, don't freak out, okay?"

Meredith swallowed hard. That sentence was never a good sign for any parent. She waited for her teenage daughter to explain.

"Jasmine and I are headed for the airport. We're going to London."

"The airport?" she gasped. "London? Chloe, what is going on?" Meredith couldn't even begin to think of a logical reaction to this impulsive whim. In her mind, serious complaints about the safety of Jasmine and Alek having such free access to a considerably large amount of money (left to them by Valentina) began resurfacing. _What on earth would they be doing in London?_

"Alek left," was all Chloe had to say to silence the slew of questions Meredith was gearing herself up to throw her daughter's way.

Meredith's heart sank. For some reason, hearing about Alek "leaving" - whatever that even meant - made her feel like she'd just lost a child. "What do you mean he left?" _He's the Guardian. Isn't he duty bound to always be with Chloe?_

"He left for London and I'm going to follow him."

"Follow him? Chloe, this is insane... You can't just fly off to London..."

"Jasmine's going with me... I'll be safe."

Johnathan watched his wife's face twist from one agitated form to the next as Meredith listened to their daughter over the phone. It wasn't hard for him to figure out what was going on based on Meredith's reactions to what Chloe was saying.

"Chloe, no," Meredith said firmly, stomping one foot on the floor to emphasize her point. "You're not going to London after some guy..."

"This isn't just _some guy._This is Alek we're talking about!"

"Alek left... He has to learn to come back." As Meredith said it, she glared at Johnathan, who winced at the words.

"I'm sorry, Mom... I have to do this."

"Chloe..." Meredith said in a low, warning tone. To her surprise, Chloe hung up. Meredith, though normally a cool, uncontrolling parent, wasn't cool enough to let her sixteen-year-old daughter go all the way to London to run after a nineteen-year-old guy... even if it was Alek Petrov (whom she'd learned to adore over the past few weeks). She huffed before grabbing her purse and car keys, fully intending to drive off to the airport.

Johnathan grabbed her arm as she was about to brisk past him and go straight to the door.

She glared at him, her spine tingling at his touch. "Let go," she admonished him through gritted teeth.

"I think it would be best for Chloe to be where Alek is."

"You don't get to tell me what to let and not let my daughter do, Johnathan. You waived off that right the moment you walked out of this door and never even thought of coming back."

"I thought of coming back every single day I was away, Meredith."

Though moved by his admission, Meredith pushed his hand away. "Chloe's not going to London."

"The safest place the Uniter can be is with the Guardian. He can protect her like no one else can."

The thought of him knowing about Chloe and Alek's identities as Mai rubbed Meredith the wrong way and before she could stop herself, she slapped her husband right in the face. "How dare you... how dare you show up here, obviously knowing more than I could even imagine... how dare you..." As she hissed the words at him, she struggled to control her uneven breathing, incensed by his mere presence, by his audacity.

"Let her go, Meredith," Johnathan said calmly, soothingly, almost pleadingly. "There's a lot we have to talk about."

Meredith couldn't quite understand it. She couldn't bear being around him, and yet the thought of losing him after just having gotten him back was an even more unbearable thought. Despite her misgivings, she found herself relenting, but not before giving him a warning. "If anything happens to Chloe, I'll never be able to forgive you." _Or myself._

**-oiOio-**

Out in a quiet, off-the-beaten-track corner, and way from the bustling streets of London, a young man, casually leaned back on the cushioned seat of a street coffee shop. He ran his hand through his blonde hair and checked his watch for the hundredth time. He heaved a deep sigh as he momentarily glanced toward the street corner, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, only to find that there wasn't a soul in sight. He began impatiently tapping his foot on the paved sidewalk. _Where is she? _he frowned. He lifted the porcelain cup from the black, round, steel table and took a sip of the strong tea. The coffee shop was actually an old-time favourite of theirs, and just being there once again brought back so many memories. _It's been so long since I last saw her. She must've changed so much by now. _

Overcome by the wave of fond nostalgia and unable to settle down, he brought out his phone to check his email. He frowned when he saw a message from Chloe. He didn't bother to read it. _I'm not ready to hear from her yet. _Without a moment's thought, he sent the message to the trash bin, pushing down the guilt that he felt over his nonchalance when it came to the girl he supposedly loved and swore to protect. The lingering sense of shame was still plaguing him when he opened an email from Quentin, who sent him a link to a website. Alek almost choked on the tea that he just drank from the cup. _Unbelievable._

That new Mai girl he just recently met actually started some sort of blog dedicated to him. _What the hell is she thinking doing this?_His reaction was a cross between amusement and annoyance at the girl's insane fan girl tendencies - the amusement was mostly derived from what a boost to his ego all this was, while the annoyance was mostly coming from all the security issues that this girl's naiveté could cause him and the Mai. He replied to Quentin giving strict instructions that the site be removed immediately and that someone talk to the girl to get her head on straight. _She's going to be in so much trouble when I get back to London, _he thought, only to find himself scowling over the idea of having to face her.

Despite his disdain over the whole thing, Alek's thoughts once again drifted to Chloe, remembering the way she looked during their dinner with Meredith and Jasmine. Even though he was the object of their mockery, the memory always made him smile, just because of how adorable the Uniter looked as she mimicked the fan girl, squealing, "We're meant for each other!" A fond smile threatened to appear on Alek's lips, but he quickly straightened up on his seat and fought the urge to lose himself in lovelorn thoughts over Chloe. He soon found that it wasn't so easy, because as he blankly stared into nothingness, all he could think of was, _I'm so in love with her. _

Catching himself and attempting to divert his thoughts,he terminated his phone's browser and saw another message from Chloe. Just like the rest of her messages, he didn't even read what was on it. He just deleted it, not wanting to hear anything from her that would sway him from taking this time off from being the Uniter's famed Guardian. To silence his nagging conscience, he reasoned to himself that if something was going wrong with her, the Mai would've informed him already. He was tempted to check his voice mail, but was distracted by someone calling his name.

"Alek!" the familiar feminine voice exclaimed.

He looked up and a smile broke into his face at the sight of the lovely raven-haired, emerald-eyed girl striding his way. She was more beautiful than he remembered and the sight of her made his heart ache with all the memories he'd left behind when he left London. He missed her so much, he couldn't even begin to explain it. He stood from his seat and scooped her up in his strong arms. "Since when did you get to look so gorgeous?" he exclaimed as he held her close, reveling in her delighted chuckles, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, breathing in the scent of her perfume.

"Well, someone had to take over your role of beautifying the drabness of this city after you left." She looked up at him with adoration, brushing a finger against his hair as he finally let go of her.

"I missed you so much, Cecil," he found himself admitting.

"I missed you more, Alek." The familiar wide smile broke on her face as he took her by the elbow and pulled out a seat for her.

The moment he took his seat, he grinned at her. "Let me order for you, love. Let me see if I remember what your favorites are." With her around, Alek found it much easier to push away the thoughts he had about a certain blonde Mai he left back in San Francisco. Right then, his eyes were all on Cecil, her striking green eyes, and her beautiful smile.

From a distance away, Brian watched, with disdain, the scene unfolding before him. When he saw the young woman walk up to Alek, he could not believe his eyes. This wasn't what he expected. He used Rezza Capital's private jet just to follow Alek here to London, hoping to find something - anything - against the young man who became the reason behind his losing Chloe. _I guess I found it._ It made his stomach turn to watch Alek holding another woman in his arms, whispering sweet-nothings into the girl's ears as they eventually stood up from their light-hearted conversation and began walking along the quiet sidewalk. _How could he do this to Chloe?_

Memories of Chloe walking away from him to chase after Alek still haunted his thoughts and Brian couldn't stomach seeing Alek betray Chloe this way. Brian had been mostly resistant when Simone suggested that he go to London to capture Alek, but now that he was watching Alek spit at Chloe's love for him by flirting with this other girl, Brian was glad that he had done as Simone instructed him. Hands fisted and ready to attack, it didn't take long for him to do what he set out to do. The Selki's greatest strength against the Mai had always been the element of surprise and Alek couldn't have possibly seen it coming. Before he knew it, Brian was behind him, injecting a substance into his neck in order to incapacitate him.

And just like that, Brian disappeared with Alek, leaving Cecil stunned and trembling at what just occurred._Where's Alek? Where's my brother?_

Brian, on the other hand, appeared within minutes thousands of miles away, back in San Francisco. He knew that he over-exerted himself with what he just did and he could feel himself weakening. He looked at the unconscious - and rather heavy - lad on his arms and grimaced at the sight of Alek. _Now what? _His eyes roamed his surroundings and realized where he was. Panicking and about to pass out, he trapped Alek in the one place in that cemetery that was familiar to him.

**-oiOio-**

As the cab pulled over in front of the large pearl white gates that led to the massive cobblestone driveway of the Victorian mansion, Chloe's mouth dropped open as she peered out the taxi's window and looked with awe at the home where Alek apparently grew up in.

Jasmine noticed the awe in her eyes and began nodding as she fished for bills on her purse to pay the cab driver with. "I know," she smiled. "Whenever I remember the kind of upbringing he had, it amazes me. I think he came out of it pretty well, considering… _this._"

Chloe looked Jasmine's way for a moment, before motioning to get off the cab. As they stood in front of the mansion, for some reason, she suddenly felt three feet tall in comparison to all this luxury. All of a sudden, it felt like Alek was so much larger than life. The thought of him made her heart stir with both dread and excitement. _Please be here, Alek. _

Both girls breathed sighs in unison before Jasmine walked toward the intercom system to speak with whomever it was that would let them in.

An old man's voice eventually played through the intercom. "Miss Jasmine, is that you?"

A smile broke into Jasmine's face as she waved at the surveillance camera pointed at them. "I can't believe you still remember me, William. It's been years."

"How could I forget?" the old butler responded. "Is Master Alek with you? I'm sure Miss Cecil will be delighted to see him."

Chloe's face fell at the implication. She leaned on the stone post holding up the white gates for support. _He's not here. Alek, where are you?_

"No..." Jasmine said, disappointment evident in her voice. "He isn't with me. I thought he was..."

"Oh, where are my manners?" William cut her off, apparently too excited to even hear what she just said. "Please come in."

The white gates swung open and Jasmine and Chloe exchanged worried glances as they walked toward the driveway leading to the mansion. It didn't take long before they were ushered inside and were instructed to wait for Cecil at a rather cozy looking parlor. Jasmine and Chloe had barely even sat on the velvet couch when the lovely brunette whom Chloe surmised was Cecil frantically walked into the room, her green eyes wide with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. "Have you found him?"

Her eyes roamed the room. She didn't bother to hide her disappointment when she didn't who she was looking for.

Chloe and Jasmine exchanged confused glances.

"You mean Alek?" Jasmine verified, taking a step forward.

"Jasmine... I've been going crazy these past hours! You have no idea!" Cecil threw her arms around Jasmine's neck, ready to break into a sob. "Alek and I met up for lunch and we were walking along the street and this guy shows up and sticks a needle on Alek's neck and before I knew it, both him and my brother were gone. You know what to do, right? Please... we have to find my brother."

Jasmine pulled away from Cecil and tried to calm the beautiful young girl down.

Chloe's thoughts began spinning at the information coming her way as she stood a step behind Jasmine, trying to process everything that was going on. She was finding it hard to breathe. One thought consumed her mind: _Brian has Alek. _

"Chloe, if he takes Alek to the Order…" Jasmine began to say and a huge knot formed on Chloe's stomach at what that implied.

Trembling, Chloe took out her phone and began dialing Brian's number. It took several rings before Brian responded. "Chloe…" he exclaimed with almost a sense of relief.

"Where is he, Brian? What are you doing? Where are you taking Alek?" Chloe asked, ignoring Cecil's questioning and confused stares.

"He's fine, Chloe. He's just unconscious."

"I can't believe you would drug him…" Chloe never felt more panicked than she did at that moment.

"You don't know what kind of guy he is. He was cheating on you."

That silenced her momentarily, her heart breaking at the thought of Alek being with anyone else. She saw Jasmine, who was listening in on the conversation, shake her head unbelievingly. Chloe shifted her gaze to Cecil and it then dawned on her what happened. "The girl he was with this afternoon is his sister, Brian. He's not cheating on me. Where is he? I can't believe you would put him in this sort of danger just because…"

"Danger? We're just holding him for a while," Brian said defensively through the phone. "No one plans to put him in any kind of danger."

"We? Who's we, Brian?"

"Simone…"

Chloe watched Jasmine's face pale upon overhearing the name. "How naïve can this Brian be?" Jasmine softly mumbled, loud enough for only Chloe to hear. "What does he think they're planning to do to Alek?"

"Brian, you have to tell me where Alek is," Chloe asked pleadingly.

At Brian's response, Chloe's knees weakened and she fell back on the couch behind her, because without even knowing it, Brian did one of the worst things he could've possibly done to Alek. He apparently decided to trap Alek inside Evelyn Rezza's tomb.


	15. Stronger

**Author's Note:**_ Reposting. The last two scenes on chapter 14 just underwent some major revisions, and so did the last scene of this chapter. Hopefully, it's an improvement.  
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**-oiOio-**

**- Stronger -**

_London. Eleven years ago._

_School was over and there was no one left in the sandlot but four school boys. Alek was one of them._

_The young, blonde eight-year-old crouched on the dirty ground, hands over his stomach, writhing in pain. His school uniform was a complete mess, his once white shirt now stained with a mixture of red and brown – blood and mud. Alek could taste blood on his mouth and tears were beginning to blur his vision. He fought the tears back. He wasn't about to suffer further humiliation in the hands of these bullies. He refused to let them see him cry. He blinked hard, forcing the tears away and fisting his hands. He groaned when another punch from the much bigger boy kneeling over him, straddling his legs, came down on his cheekbone, leaving a rather nasty cut on his cheek._

_Despite the beating he was getting from the two older boys, Alek didn't regret what he did that afternoon. They were bullying one of his classmates, a much smaller boy than he was, and Alek couldn't just stand there and let them pick on his friend, so he stood up for the kid and became the object of the older kids' cruel violence. The kid he saved watched helplessly through broken eyeglasses, afraid to help. _

_At first, Alek fought back with all the might he could muster. He managed to sock one of the older boys right in the eye and hit him strong enough to leave what would eventually become an ugly black eye. The hit only served to make the boy angrier than he already was and thus, the two ganged up on Alek and no matter how hard he fought, he was no match for either one, much less both. At that point, all Alek could do was defend himself. When he realized that one of the boys had raised his fist and was about to give him another blow, Alek winced. He quickly lifted his hand to protect his already battered face. _

_If he were to be honest with himself, he did not know how much more of the beating he could take. _

**-oiOio-**

_San Francisco. Eleven years ago._

_Her long blonde curls bobbed up and down as she skipped up the staircase, her eyes bright with delight. _

_Johnathan leaned against the doorpost and watched his lovely, blue-eyed, five-year-old daughter as she disappeared into the corridor in search for her favorite doll – the one he gave to her after coming home from one of his "journalistic assignments". The familiar sense of guilt once again gripped him and his heartbeat doubled its pace. He was no fool. He knew the danger behind his double life. He was completely aware that it was folly to think that he could live a normal life. Not after everything he'd been through… not after everything he did… He knew that the Order was closing in on him. He knew that his alibis and excuses for refusing to kill Mai were beginning to arouse Jakob's suspicions. He also knew that Jakob – his own father – would not waste a moment's hesitation in taking his life if he finds out that he'd been keeping this beautiful, little Mai girl here, calling her his daughter. _

_Despite everything he knew, Johnathan could not keep himself from this indulgence. He was so in love with Meredith and though he tried to fight it at first, he learned to loved Chloe like she was his own. It didn't matter to him that she was Mai. She was Meredith's and his. They were a family, the kind of family that Johnathan only dreamed of as a child, but never thought he could have. Johnathan ran a hand over his dark hair. __After having all this, how could I ever let go?_

_Little did he know that he was about to get the answer to his question._

_The doorbell rang. Johnathan moved away from the staircase, wondering to himself if it was Meredith coming home from grabbing some groceries and forgetting her house keys once again. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Whitley there. Johnathan creased his brows. "What is it?" he asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice. _

_Whitley's jaw clenched. "This is becoming too close for comfort, Jon. Why must you insist on keeping this a secret?"_

_"You have to leave, Whitley. Meredith will be back any time now…" _

_Whitley grimaced, obviously displeased at being so easily dismissed by his best friend. "Jakob asked to meet with me and Evelyn. He wants to know what's going on with you. Jon…"_

_"You're not going to tell him, are you?" It was Johnathan's turn to frown. He took a step forward as if to warn Whitley that he ought not even think of betraying him._

_"Of course not," Whitley quickly assured him, "but if you really want to protect your family from your father, you have to realize that you're like one giant arrow pointing to them. This can't go on much longer. You know that. As long as you are with them, Jakob __will __find out about your wife and kid. Come on, Johnathan… why don't you just tell your father about them? Surely he will…"_

_"No," Johnathan shook his head. "He can't find out." He said it so solemnly, so firmly, Whitley had to back a step away from him._

_Still, Whitley had to ask. "Why not?"_

_Because my daughter is Mai, __Johnathan thought, but before he could respond, a bone-chilling scream interrupted him. It was quickly followed by a loud thud and then finally, the most blood-curdling thing he'd ever heard… a crack. Completely forgetting about Whitley, he rushed to the staircase and sensed the blood completely drain from his face. He could swear that his heart stopped. It was the most horrifying sight he'd ever seen._

_At the end of the staircase, Chloe's small fragile body was grotesquely sprawled, the part of her body from chest down still raised over the last few stairs, her head was twisted to the side, her neck at an unnatural angle, clearly indicating that she had fallen from the staircase and broken her neck. Johnathan stood frozen a few feet from Chloe's unmoving form. Suddenly, breathing felt like it was an enormous feat. Everything in him was screaming out against the cold, harsh reality that he could not bring himself to accept. His little girl was dead. _

**-oiOio-**

_Unbeknownst to Chloe and the two men present to witness her terrifying fall, the first among her deaths did one person some good that day, because at the very same moment that her neck broke, a surge of adrenaline flowed through the body of a young British boy thousands of miles away. As the bully's big, hard fist was about to once again pound against his already bruised face, Alek found the strength to push the boy away. Seeing his comrade fall, the other boy surged forward even before Alek could gather his wits about him. Again, the smaller boy was able to push the bully away, the much larger boy toppling to the ground with an audible thud._

_For a moment, Alek creased his brows, dumbfounded by his newfound strength. However, he didn't have the luxury of just sitting there, indulging in his wonderment, because both boys were now up and poised to once again attack him. Alek quickly stood up and for a split second, he knew… he knew that in that deserted sandlot, with just him, the scared little boy he rescued and those two bullies, something changed. He determined that he would no longer be bullied by anyone for the rest of his life. This was the first and last time that any bully would be able to beat him up._

_He was right. By the time an adult was able to find them and stop the brawl, Alek did enough damage to both boys to keep them from ever going near him or his friends again. When news spread of what he did, he was lauded as his school's hero and he'd been popular ever since. Of course, nobody ever tried to bully Alek Petrov again. He always thought that the strength that came to him that day was some sort of upsurge of courage or something like that, but it was really just another proof that even when far apart, even when they had no idea the other existed, Alek and Chloe's lives were determinedly intertwined and as long as they lived, even distance couldn't keep them from saving each other._

**-oiOio-**

_On the day before Chloe's sixteenth birthday…_

_Sitting within the comforts of his office, breathing in the scent of whiskey and tobacco, Whitley took a trip down memory lane. He could remember it like it was yesterday. The day he found out that his best friend's daughter was not only Mai, but was also the Uniter. He could clearly recall the terror on Johnathan's face as Chloe's blue eyes opened and she began to stand up, her neck snapping into place as she did. It was like a scene from a horror movie and Whitley was haunted by it many nights after that encounter. _

_"How is that possible?" he had muttered under his breath, making Johnathan turn toward him as if realizing for the first time that he was there. His best friend only gulped in response._

_Johnathan made him swear that he would never tell a soul and because he loved his best friend like a brother, all these years, he kept the Uniter's existence a secret. _

_But that day, Whitley sat on his leather swivel chair, his office dimly lit, a menacing glare on his face as he awaited the Rogue's arrival. He recalled the night he lost Evelyn, how the Mai had taken his beloved wife away from him and all he felt was anger, fury, rage… "Sorry, Johnathan," he said out loud, "but the Uniter has to die."_

_As if on cue, the scar-faced assassin opened the door to his office and stepped inside. "You called for me?"_

_Whitley knew that all these years of trying to build a normal, successful life – leaving his identity as a Selki behind – was then over. He had finally chosen between the two sides and if he had to lose Johnathan over it, so be it. He pushed the manila envelope on his desk forward, before pushing a button that opened the lights. _

_The Rogue creased his brows as his eyes adjusted to the sudden influx of fluorescent light. He then took the manila envelope and peered through its contents. He looked at Whitley questioningly._

_"It contains everything you need to know about the Uniter. Tomorrow, she begins her transformation. I think we both know what you have to do."_

_"Are you certain that she's the Uniter?" the assassin asked skeptically._

_There wasn't a hint of remorse or hesitation to be found in Whitley. The memory of that little girl's neck snapping into place would forever be etched on his mind. He shuddered every time he recalled it. Looking at the cold-blooded assassin standing before him, he simply shrugged a shoulder and said, "Kill her and find out." _

**-oiOio-**

San Francisco. Evelyn's tomb.

Alek opened his eyes to pitch black darkness. It didn't take long for a crippling sense of panic to fill his entire being. The moment his night vision activated, he realized that he was in an enclosed space. He knew he was trapped, and try as he did to overcome his fear, he was paralyzed by complete and utter terror. It was clearly evident that there was enough space in this dark prison he was in for him to get up and move around, but he was immobilized by his fright. A cold sweat was beginning to break from his skin and breathing was becoming quite a gigantic feat. All he could remember was his sister's beautiful face smiling at him and then a jolting ache on his neck before fading off into unconsciousness. And then there he was – waking up to… _this_.

He had no idea how long he'd been out. If this was what he would wake up to, he wished he didn't gain consciousness at all. He wrapped his arms around his knees and pulled it to his chest, crouching into a fetal position, unable to think straight. He remained that way for longer than he could comprehend, consumed by his terror to be able to move even a single muscle. He tried to think of the broken little toy, trying to imagine that he had it in his hands, but it did him no good at all. He then focused on Chloe's beautiful face. He tried to imagine the feel of her soft fingers intertwining with his. He began to calm down as he recalled her smile, her gorgeous blue eyes, her laughter… His heartbeat slowed its accelerated pace as he smiled at the thought of her lips kneading against his. And then he would recall that night… that awful night… seeing her with _him_. He couldn't even say his name. The image of him standing there, kissing her tore him apart every time he remembered it. The memory of her not being able to dismiss the Selki like she so easily did to him when that human of hers caught them kissing on the exact same spot… it consumed him and the calm would disappear and Alek would once again realize where he was and the predicament he was in and terror would flood him once again.

So he focused instead on trying to breathe, trying to survive this horrible nightmare. He half-hoped that he would pass out, but it seemed he would be given no such luck.

It felt like forever until the entrance to the tomb slid open and a blinding flood of light streamed inside his dark prison. Alek blocked his eyes from the sudden flood of light. He could hear footsteps stepping into what he finally realized was a tomb. "Chloe?" he asked hopefully.

"Wrong," came a cold, female voice.

When he was finally able to adjust his eyes to the light, he recognized who had come to see him. The other two he recognized from Brian's art gallery date with Chloe and the case files he'd been looking through since Valentina's death. The other one he now realized was the traitor. It was Simone, Mr. Rezza and Liam. All three had a gun pointed at him.

**-oiOio-**

Sitting on the very edge of the leather recliner on his loft's living room, Brian ran both hands over his hair, confusion, regret, doubt, fear, and loneliness rolling into one wave of emotion coursing through his soul. The loft was left to him by his grandmother. She bought it for him so that he wouldn't have to stay with his father once he finished training and returned to San Francisco. After everything that happened that day, it was the only place he could think of going to. Brian clamped his hand over his mouth as he contemplated everything that went on that day. He kept on asking himself a single question: _What have I done?_

He recalled the conversation he had with his father earlier that day.

_He stepped into his father's office and said one thing: "Dad, I have the Uniter's protector. If you want him, tell me how mother died."_

_Whitley looked at him with a solemn expression on his face. "Tell me where he is first."_

"_No. Tell me what I want to know."_

As Whitley told him what happened, Brian could not bring himself to believe it. The race that Chloe was destined to save and his own grandmother were behind his mother's death. Brian didn't know what to do with it. He was so dumbfounded that, after telling his father where he placed the Guardian, he barely even heard how Whitley lashed out at him for having imprisoned Alek inside his own mother's tomb.

"_What were you thinking?" Whitley's face was burning red with anger._

_All Brian could do was mumble incoherently, trying to explain that it was the only enclosed space he could think of. "I panicked." For the first time in a long time, Brian felt like a child. None of it made sense to him. It felt as if the world had played a trick on him, like he was the only person who knew nothing._

"_Who else knows?" Whitley asked him. _

"_Simone. I've been working with her." Brian shifted his weight from one foot to another. "You're not going to hurt Alek, are you?" _

_The glare his father sent his way made him back a few steps away. All Whitley said after that was, "Get out."_

He stumbled out of his father's office, not really caring what his father intended to do. That was when he received the call from Chloe asking where Alek was. Like a robot, he answered her questions. He then hung up, not quite knowing how to handle all the information that had been thrown his way. He was certain that he was teetering on the brink of insanity.

Shortly after he reached the loft, he recalled how Chloe once again called and begged him to teleport her to San Francisco. He simply told her that he can't and hung up. _I can't… _Brian thought. _Even if I wanted to help her find Alek, I can't. I love her, but I can't. _Brian didn't know it, but the feat of transporting Alek through such a distance was actually unheard of. The fact that he was able to pull it off would've impressed any Selki – had any of them actually existed to witness it. The feat had depleted his powers. He wouldn't be able to use them for days – that much he was aware of.

As he sat completely still in the middle of his modernly-designed living room, Brian's thoughts traveled from one disturbing thought to another, utterly confused. He had no idea how long he'd been sitting there, contemplating over everything that happened. When there was a knock on the door, it took him a couple of minutes to even hear the adamant knocks. When he swung it open, he sighed with relief. For some reason, just the sight of Chloe standing on his doorstep snapped him back to reality, back to sanity.

"Chloe…" he said breathlessly, rather disconcerted by the fiery glare she was throwing his way.

"Where is he?" she snapped at him. The plane ride back to San Francisco felt like an eternity to Chloe. She had been racked by the terror of imagining what Alek was dealing with in that tomb. She could only imagine how awful it was for him. Throughout the plane ride, Jasmine was able to do nothing to ease Chloe's anxiety, because she wasn't any better. In fact, she was much worse. She would spontaneously mumble about how it was important that they got Alek out of there then suddenly shift to how she wanted to snap Brian's neck for doing this to Alek afterwards. Chloe wanted to somehow comfort Jasmine, but had no idea how. The moment the plane landed, both of them lost no time in making a call to Johnathan to ask him if he was able to successfully retrieve Alek. They could not contact him. They got in touch with Quentin to check Alek and was quickly informed that Alek was no longer there. Hoping to find both him and Johnathan at home, they made a call to Meredith and found out that Johnathan hadn't yet returned. Chloe's last option was Brian. Both she and Jasmine agreed that it was best she saw Brian alone. Jasmine wouldn't have been able to keep herself from inflicting pain on the Selki. "Where is Alek, Brian?"

"I told you… I placed him on the…"

"He's not there!" Chloe yelled through gritted teeth, obviously trying to reel in her anger. "Where is he?" Her voice was low, threatening, menacing…

Looking at her, all he could think of was how much he wanted her back. It didn't matter to him that she was the Uniter, savior of the race that murdered his mother. He wanted her back. "Chloe… please…" Brian stepped forward and placed his hands gently over her arms, his eyes pleading at her. "Don't you remember what we had?" he asked, his face showing his desperation. "I love you. Don't you understand that? I love you."

The softness in his eyes – eyes that she'd always been attracted to – caused a wave of compassion to come over Chloe, enough to calm her down, but not enough to quench the yearning to ensure that her beloved was safe and well. "I remember, Brian. I remember very clearly, but that's what we once _had. _That's my past. My present is what I have with Alek. I need him. Brian, if you love me as you claim that you do, you will help me find him. So please… where is he?"

"Do you love him?" Brian didn't know why he was torturing himself by asking the question. He knew fully well what the answer to the question was.

Chloe looked away for a moment as she breathed a deep sigh. "Yes. I love Alek. I'm _in love _with Alek."

Brian gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "I'm sorry, Chloe. If he's not in the tomb, then my father and Simone might already have him. I don't know where he is."

The implications of what Brian just said sank into her. _If they have him, there's little chance that they'd keep him alive for long._ She froze. The idea of living in a world without Alek seemed more than she would be able to bear. She remembered how Valentina told her that every time she lost a life, it would be more painful than the last. She knew then that it couldn't possibly be true. None of it could be more painful than losing Alek's life. Conviction stemming from the depths of her soul, she stared straight at the boy she once fooled herself to believe that she was in love with, "Brian, if anything happens to Alek, I will _never_ be able to forgive you," she hissed. She then turned her back on him and began walking toward the door, eager to get away from Brian and continue looking for Alek.

Brian shut his eyes and breathed a short sigh before making a move toward Chloe, holding her by the elbow to keep her from speeding away.

She pushed his hand away and glared at him. "What?"

Rummaging through the many pieces of information his grandmother told him about the Order and their operations, he had a vague idea where it was that they hid Alek, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't bare the idea of giving up on her and just pushing her to the arms of Alek. He would regret it every day after, but at that moment, all he said was, "Nothing."

Chloe just shook her head at him and without another word, moved out of Brian's loft and walked down the stairwell that led to the driveway. To her surprise, instead of finding a rather bored Jasmine waiting on the wheel of her car, Chloe found the fierce young Mai pinning a very familiar guy on the ground, her dagger dangerously close to cutting his neck. He didn't seem the least bit afraid of the fury blazing on Jasmine's eyes.

_As if this day couldn't get any worse… _Chloe huffed, before saying the name that always did leave a bitter taste in her mouth. "Zane."

"How about you kill me later, Jasmine?" he said as an almost manic smile formed on his face. "Right now, you need me."

"Why on earth would I need you?" Jasmine hissed, her free hand fisting over his dark curls, looking like she was just about ready to rip his hair off his scalp.

It was evident to Chloe that given the fact that Jasmine left both his hands free, Zane could've easily fought back. He was certainly strong enough to overpower Jasmine if he wanted to, but for some reason, he was letting her threaten his life.

"If you want to find my brother, you need to find Johnathan. If you want to find Chloe's father, you need me."

Chloe's breath hitched. _They have my father. _Trying to push her fear down, she focused on Zane. The cocky smirk on his face could only remind her of Alek. The thought of Alek made her ache. _Please be okay, Alek… I can't lose you. _Desperate, Chloe stepped forward. "Jasmine…" she pleaded. "He might be able to help us."

"After everything, how can you trust him?" Jasmine glared at Chloe.

Chloe shook her head. "I don't. It's just that… right now, he could be our only hope."

Zane sneered and looked at Jasmine. "You heard the Uniter. I'm your only hope."

Hating him with every fiber of her being, Jasmine reluctantly let go, but not before hammering the bronze hilt of her dagger over his face.

Gasping, Chloe stared at Zane's unconscious form.

Jasmine looked Chloe's way as she flipped Zane over and pulled his hands behind his back, clasping his wrists together. "There's some rope in the car. Get it for me?"

Chloe frowned as she got the rope from the trunk of the car. She handed the rope to her friend and mentor before voicing her concern, "Jasmine, he won't be able to help us if he's unconscious."

As she began tying the lad's wrists together, Jasmine shrugged. "We'll just splash him with cold water or something. He'll wake up."

At that moment, Chloe could swear that she saw Zane's eyes flicker open. _He's not unconscious. _Despite his odd behavior, for some reason, Chloe felt completely at ease. _He's letting Jasmine have her way. _For a moment, Chloe wondered to herself if this was Zane's sordid attempt at trying to make it up to Jasmine for everything he did. She had to roll her eyes before helping Jasmine get the quite-conscious-but-for-some-reason-acting-unconscious Mai onto the back seat of the car. She had to wonder to herself why she was playing along with Zane's charade. Before she could dwell on her bewilderment, however, a sickening feeling came over her and she knew immediately that something was very wrong. Once again, her mind returned undistracted to the task at hand. _Hang on, Alek… Hang on…_

**-oiOio-**

The rock hard fist slammed on his face and Alek began coughing blood, the sound's echoes bouncing against the walls of the abandoned warehouse they were keeping him in. Sweat was dripping from his knotted, messy blonde hair. His hands tied behind his back and his ankles tied to the legs of the metal chair he was sitting on, there was nothing he could do to defend himself from his captor. "What do you want?" he asked the older man with unveiled candor. "I don't think we've even formally met… Whitley Rezza, right?" _The girl I'm in love with is in love with your son. _

The older man once again gave him another painful blow, this time on the gut.

Once again, Alek coughed. _If I live through this, I'm going to make sure Chloe doesn't end up with your son. If he's anything like you, she has no business being anywhere near him. _Catching his own trail of thought, Alek smiled bitterly. _I'm about to die and still, all I could think of is how to protect Chloe. _"This has gone long enough, don't you think?" Alek asked. "How about you just let me go?" The cocky, confident smirk formed on his bloody lip, further infuriating Whitley.

"If I were you, I'd let go of any delusion that you'll get out of this alive, boy." Whitley paced back and forth, looking at the Guardian with slight hesitation. To ease his conscience, he kept on reminding himself that Alek wasn't just any regular boy. He was much stronger, much powerful than he appeared. He was not just any regular Mai. He was the Guardian. Over and over again, Whitley played the reminders through his mind, just so he could rid himself of the guilt over what he was doing.

"Why don't you just get it over with?" Alek asked. They'd been taking turns beating him up ever since they got their hands on him. It's been hours. How many, he had no idea. Someone would beat him up, leave him for a couple of hours so that he could slightly heal, then someone would return and the beating continued. If Alek didn't still have that distinct sense of responsibility, knowing that he had to lead the Mai and protect the Uniter, he would've begged them to just kill him and end it all. He didn't know how much more of it he could take.

"Why don't you tell me who killed my mother?" Whitley asked.

"Not. Me." Alek snidely responded, his head bowed, blood dripping from his face to his lap. The response only earned him another punch in the gut. Despite the pain, he still found it in himself to laugh as he glared at Whitley, a smirk pasted on his face. "I don't even know your mother." _Not in person at least. _He, after all, had made it his business to know as much as he could about Brian Rezza's family.

"Don't lie to me!" The ferocity by which Whitley said it clearly told Alek that he ought to tread lightly before he ends up pushing his tormentor too far.

This time, a serious expression formed on Alek's face, keeping his gray eyes on Whitley's blazing browns. "We had nothing to do with your mother's death. It's your side that has been doing all the killing lately."

It seemed the words struck a cord with Whitley, because he swiftly turned back and walked away, letting out a loud growl before leaving the leader of the Mai at the center of the abandoned warehouse. His head reeling, Alek could only hope that when all of this was over, he would have Chloe safely wrapped in his arms.

**-oiOio-**

As Jasmine continued to drive, Zane checked his GPS device for Johnathan's location. "He's on some warehouse northwest of here. Turn left on that corner," he instructed Jasmine from the backseat.

Riding shotgun, Chloe could tell that Jasmine was no big fan of having Zane as her navigator. "Why are you tracking my father, Zane?"

"Is it really that important?" Zane shrugged, noticing the cold glare Jasmine was sending his way through the rearview mirror. He sighed. "Fine. I didn't escape, okay? Or at least I wasn't planning to. The Order wasn't very happy about me jumping ship. They sent someone from the inside to kill me. I didn't recognize him, but he went to my cell and tried to snuff me out. That's why I escaped."

"Why did you lie about the chip on my mother?" Chloe asked.

At that, Zane looked genuinely confused. "I didn't. I told you what I heard Rezza say to Simone. Maybe he lied to Simone."

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Jasmine eventually spoke up.

"The Order is out to kill me. When I escaped from Union Hall, it was Johnathan who took me in all this time. When he went to see you, he implanted a tracker on himself and asked me to keep track. I guess he knew something like this might eventually happen."

"That really doesn't answer my question," Jasmine told him coldly.

"It's either I'm on your side or I'm dead, so you'll just have to take my word for it. This isn't a trap."

"What makes you think you won't be dead on our side?" Jasmine responded.

To her incense, he responded confidently, "Believe me, Jasmine. You're not going to kill me."

Chloe held her elbow softly in hopes of calming her down. "We have no other choice other than to trust him."

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, everyone lost in their thoughts, the silence only being broken whenever Zane had to give Jasmine directions. Finally, the warehouse appeared over the horizon. "According to this, that's where Johnathan is supposed to be."

Jasmine informed Quentin where they were and asked for backup.

"I'm going in," Chloe said impatiently.

"Chloe, it's too dangerous," Jasmine shook her head. "We have to wait for backup."

"I have to agree with her," Zane said. "I know the Order. If they have Jon and Alek, I'm certain that this place will be littered by agents. Both are high profile catches."

"We've lost enough time. We don't have time to wait." The expression on the Uniter's face told them that there was no stopping her. She got off the car and walked toward the warehouse. Not knowing what to do, both Jasmine and Zane followed suit.

Moments later, all three managed to either sneak past or fight off several of the Order's agents. It was when they found a back exit to the warehouse that things got a lot more interesting. Six agents stood to greet them. All six were trained fighters and the odds were against the three young Mai. Chloe was able to knock one unconscious, fully aware of how much time they were losing. Noticing her anxiety, Jasmine knocked one of her opponents unconscious before inching toward Chloe. Their backs against each other, facing the agents that were attacking them, Jasmine instructed Chloe to go. "We can handle this. The others will be here soon. Find your dad."

Without a moment's hesitation, Chloe pushed her opponent away and ran toward a metal staircase that led up to a ramp that seemed to border the entire warehouse. It was the only exit she could find and she could only hope that it would lead her to her father. Jasmine and Zane closed in to keep the agents from following her. Away from the fight, Chloe heard the sound of a groan echoing through the large warehouse. She continued to walk along the ramp-like structure running along the edge of the warehouse, about ten feet above the ground, her hands running along the metal banister. It was from there that she saw him, right at the very center of the warehouse, hands and feet tied together, crouching on the ground, being beat to a bloody pulp by two large men. The redhead who shot her at the theater was watching from a distance, a cold expression on her face.

Chloe's gut clenched as tears began to brim her eyes. _Alek… _Before she could keep herself from saying it, the words came out of her mouth as she clutched the metal railing and leaned against it, her eyes on Alek. "Stop it!" she screamed.

At the sound of her voice, Alek's waning consciousness snapped into attention. _Chloe… _His eyes darted toward the direction from where her voice came from. He caught his breath at the sight of her. _Dear Bastet, what is she doing here? Please keep her safe. _He struggled to get up from the ground only to have one of the men's boots kick him right back down.

A manic look of glee formed on Simone's face at the sight of the Guardian's limp, beaten form on the ground. The terror on the Uniter's blue eyes only served to heighten her amusement. She kept her eyes on Chloe as the young Mai took the leap from the ramp onto the warehouse floor. It was a fifteen-foot drop, but of course, Chloe landed on her feet.

As Chloe straightened to her full height and began walking toward them, her blazing blue eyes glared fiercely at Simone's. "Let him go," she hissed through gritted teeth, not bothering to mask the anger that she felt.

Simone simply looked at Chloe, smirked and nodded toward the two men standing over Alek. Both men took out guns and pointed it at Alek, who was still trying to lift himself up, but was miserably failing to do so.

Chloe's stomach turned at the site. "No… don't…" She gave Alek a quick look and couldn't bare the sight of him. There was so much blood, her stomach turned. She stepped forward, wanting to run to him, but Simone pointed a gun at her. "What do you want?" Chloe demanded.

"Take one step toward him, and he will die," Simone said.

Chloe pursed her lips and clenched her fists, hoping against hope that more reinforcements would come to help them out. She was fighting back the tears, but seeing Alek that way was tearing her apart. She'd never seen him so weak and defenseless before. Not knowing what to do, Chloe simply stared at Simone, waiting for the older woman to call the shots. To her confusion, Simone tossed a dagger her way. Chloe caught it with both hands before casting Simone a questioning look.

Simone cocked her head to the side and raised a brow, a devilish grin forming on her thin lips as she gave her instructions. "Stab yourself."

Chloe's entire body stiffened, her jaw slightly dropping at what the woman just asked her to do. "No…" she shook her head, clutching the hilt of the dagger in her hands. "I wont. Why would I…"

"Oh, you will, Uniter," Simone interrupted her, confidence oozing from her tone of voice. _Make him suffer, _was Jakob's command and Simone could think of no other way to make the Guardian suffer than to have the Uniter take one of her own lives in front of him. "I've already shot you before. Killing you this way seems way more interesting, don't you think?"

Chloe's blood curdled at the sheer intensity of hatred she now felt toward Simone.

"Anyway, I think it's pretty obviouswhy you _will _comply with my command and stab yourself, Chloe King," Simone said walking toward Alek. Her eyes set on Chloe, she pointed her gun from Chloe to Alek. "Do you really want to see him die?"

Chloe's face slightly twitched as she cast a tearful glance at Alek. "No... don't..."

"Then do as I say," Simone reiterated. "Stab yourself. Right at the heart."

Writhing in pain on the ground, Alek knew exactly what Simone was trying to do and he hated that Chloe was in this predicament. Attempting to ease her conscience and just let him die, he said what he saw was the only option she had. "Let them kill me, Chloe. Don't do what she says," he whispered loud enough for her to hear. "I'm not worth losing any one of your lives."

Chloe held back her tears as she clutched the dagger in her hands. She shook her head, never having been more sure of anything in her entire life than what she had decided upon at that moment. _I won't let them take you from me, Alek._

What she said next caused chills to run down Alek's spine as he lifted his eyes to look at her. The determination in her face both encouraged and horrified him as he realized what she was about to do. _Chloe, don't do this. __I'm not worth it. _

"You're wrong, Alek," she whispered back morosely, firmly. "You're worth losing every single one of it." She cast a loving glance his way, before clutching the hilt of the steel dagger with both her hands and raising it up in the air.

"Chloe, no!" Alek watched horrified as she plunged the dagger right into her heart. _How could she be such a bloody fool? Didn't she hear it when Valentina said that one of her lives was more precious than all of ours combined? _Fury overtook him as he watched her body fall to the ground. That she would die because of him, _for_ him, was tearing him up inside. The familiar surge of adrenaline overtook him the moment she breathed one last breath before losing another one of her lives. He looked coldly at his tormentors and watched as they dropped their guns to their sides.

Simone smirked at him. "Maybe we could beat you up until she wakes up and make her kill herself again. Shoot herself in the head maybe?"

"You sick bitch," Alek managed to spit out. Never before had he felt as much hatred as he did toward Simone at that moment. His gut clenched as he looked at Chloe's lifeless form on the ground. He knew it the moment the life seeped away from her, because in a familiar flood of adrenaline, he could feel the strength coursing through him, mending his broken body. Even he was surprised at the speed by which it took over him, but he found himself thankful that it did, because both of Simone's ruthless thugs were then walking toward him. Alek knew that they thought that the beatings were about to begin again. They were dead wrong. At that point, all Alek could say was, "Enough."

They didn't see it coming. He was practically a rag doll before Chloe arrived, succumbing pathetically to their every blow, so nothing prepared them for what happened next. In one swift and fluid motion, he was able to snap the ropes that were keeping his arms and legs tied up. His right leg swung beneath one of his tormentors, while his left hand lifted upwards to sock the other one in a hard upper cut. Caught unawares, both toppled over to the ground. _De ja vu, _Alek thought as he remembered the school fight he had on their school's sandlot so many years ago. Surprised, Simone picked up her gun and took several shots, only to miss her target when Alek quickly yanked one of the men up and used him as a shield against the bullets. The menacing look on Alek's eyes terrified her as his claws came out and he broke the other man's neck in half. "Don't you know?" Alek asked her as he stood to his full height, tilting his head to the side as Simone kept on trying to fire the now empty gun. "Every time the Uniter loses a life, the Guardian gets stronger. You should've just killed me when you had the chance."

Knowing that she was no match against Alek in hand-to-hand combat, Simone muttered a curse under her breath before backing away and making a run for it, only to find herself face-to-face with Jasmine, Zane, Quentin and the rest of the Mai's best warriors. They were already holding Liam – the Mai traitor – and several of the Order's best agents in their custody. Accepting that there was no escape, she lifted her hands in surrender. "You're not gonna get away with this," she threatened Alek. "The Order will hunt you down and kill you."

The muscles on Alek's jaw flexed as his fists clenched. "Take her to Union Hall." He caught sight of Zane from the corner of his eye, but was too exhausted to even bother asking about him. He simply turned toward Chloe, who was still lying unconscious on the ground, the dagger's hilt jotting out of her chest. He moved toward her, hearing Jasmine silently swear under her breath upon seeing Chloe.

The guilt was eating him up. _Oh God, Chloe... This is my fault. _Kneeling beside her motionless profile, Alek pulled the dagger out of her chest, blaming himself for the loss of another one of her lives. _I should've been able to protect you. I'm so sorry, Chloe. _Seconds rolled by and then minutes and still, she remained unmoving. Alek's heart was beginning to beat faster as he slipped one arm beneath her shoulders, the other beneath her thighs. _Chloe, breathe... Please... Come back. _He lifted her up and held her to his bare chest, still covered with blood and grime. He kissed the top of her head as a tear ran down his cheek. "Wake up, Chloe. Please wake up."

It felt like an eternity before he heard her soft whimpers and felt her slightly stir against him. "Alek?" her soft voice cooed, music to his ears.

Alek looked down at her and found himself unable to speak a word as he held his breath when their eyes met.

She smiled at him, her blue eyes twinkling, her soft palm brushing against his blood-stricken face. "You're alright."

In a flood of emotion he couldn't quite explain, he had no idea how to react. Part of him wanted to kiss her, while part of him wanted to admonish her for having taken her own life. Not knowing which part to give in to, he simply did both. He grabbed her waist and held her up, planting her on his lap before cupping her cheeks with both hands and claiming her soft lips with his. When their lips parted, he first stared at the surprised look on her face, her white cheeks flushed pink, her lips swollen red. He swallowed hard, thinking to himself hwo gorgeous she looked before he gritted his teeth, shook his head and began scolding her. "Are you bloody crazy, Chloe? You had me so scared. How could you be so stupid that you would take your own life? You beautiful, lovely, insane girl…" before he could stop himself, he began stealing kisses on her face as he said each word. "How could you do this?"

Despite her shock that he was actually scolding her after the sacrifice that she made for him, all Chloe could really do was chuckle, consumed by her relief that he was alive. She traced a finger gently along the bruises on his face, before wrapping her arms around his neck. "How could I not do it? How could I live through all those lives without the man I love?" She then gently pressed her lips against his.

He pried his lips away, his gray eyes slitting at her as he slightly leaned away from her. "Did you just say…"

Chloe laughed. "Yes, you cocky bastard. You heard me." She inched closer to him. "All this would have been a lot easier if you answered my calls and listened to my voice mail. I love you, Alek Petrov."

A self-assured smirk formed on his lips. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Don't make me regret it." She then pressed herself against him and once again kneaded her lips against his.

They could've stayed there forever, but they were soon interrupted by Jasmine clearing her throat. "I'm happy for both of you, don't get me wrong, but this really isn't the place for all this."

Both chuckled as they got up from the ground. Chloe and Jasmine helped Alek out of the warehouse before Jasmine broke away to oversee what was to be done with Zane and Simone. She had made certain that the Mai take Zane as a prisoner, still refusing to trust the murderer despite his help.

Chloe and Alek watched her for a few seconds before turning toward each other. "Did you mean it, Chloe? You're not just saying it, because…"

"I'm in love with you, Alek. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," she assured him and repeating what he told her not too long ago, she brushed a hand against his hair, smiled and said, "If anything happened to you, I couldn't live with myself."

At that moment, Alek knew that she was telling the truth. "I was right, wasn't I?" he raised a brow at her, the streak of arrogance returning to his handsome, albeit bloody, face.

"Right about what?"

His hands snaked around her waist and he pulled her closer, and she knew exactly what he was talking about. She smiled and nodded as they said it in unison, "We belong together."

**- to be continued -**


	16. The End of the Beginning

**Author's Note:**_Since this is the epilogue, I'm going to switch things up a bit. Instead of having a flashback at the beginning and a present day scenario at the end, I'm going to have the present day scenario at the beginning and a peek into the future at the end. _

_Again, thank you for the reviews, alerts & favorites._

_Oh and yes, this isn't the last chapter, because I decided to make it a two-part epilogue.  
><em>

**-oiOio-**

**- Epilogue: The End of the Beginning** **-**

The sun was setting over the city of San Francisco, but the magnificent view it provided was lost to the anxious group of people huddled inside Alek and Jasmine's penthouse. Worry was etched on her beautiful face as Chloe paced back and forth on the living room's hardwood floor. Jasmine heaved a sigh as she sat on the edge of a gray ottoman, her elbows leaning on her knees, her hands clasped together, her upper torso slightly bent. Alek, on the other hand, sat on the white couch, his head thrown back on the couch's head rest as a healer tended to his wounds. Quentin had also just entered the room and was standing behind one of the empty couches, leaning his hands on the seat. He just brought news that there was still no sign of Johnathan anywhere.

After everything's that happened, both Quentin and Zane made it clear how large a part Johnathan had been playing in weakening the Order's defenses. He'd been there all along, working behind the scenes, and at that point, it was highly possible that the Order had their hands on him.

"How am I going to tell my mom?" Chloe said, stopping her pacing and planting her hands on her hips. He just came back, and now here we are again... I have no idea where he is. What if the Order does have him? She swallowed hard and bit her lip before grabbing a clump of her hair with one hand, frustration evident in her face. Was I being too selfish by putting Alek first? That doesn't even make sense… How could I be selfish by putting the man I love first? No… If I didn't do what I did, Alek would be gone by now. The idea of losing Alek still left a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. I made the right decision. She cast Alek a quick, affectionate glance, before blowing air through gritted teeth, setting her eyes on the ceiling and saying out loud, "Dad, where are you?"

Alek and Jasmine exchanged uncomfortable glances before Alek winced when the healer dabbed some sort of ointment on a particularly deep gash on his left side. Chloe caught sight of him and took a step toward him, concerned, but Alek raised a hand toward her, assuring her that he was fine. In fact, even through the tense situation, with Chloe worried sick about her father, Alek couldn't keep a smile from breaking into his face every once in a while. She loves me. She chose me over him. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the idea and whenever he remembered that the Uniter finally fell in love with her Guardian, he couldn't think of any reason not to let a smile escape his lips. Except maybe for Chloe's agitation about her father…

Upon their return from the warehouse, Chloe tried to convinced Alek, with a lot of help from Jasmine, to proceed to the penthouse – instead of Union Hall, where he would most likely get absolutely no rest – and delegate all the work that needed to be done to Jasmine and Quentin. Of course, blaming himself for the entire ordeal, claiming that he'd let them all down because of his personal issues, Alek kept on protesting against the whole thing. "It's my duty to lead," he kept on saying before he eventually gave in to his weariness and drifted off to sleep, snuggled against Chloe at the back seat of Jasmine's car. By the time he woke up, he was already on his bed at their apartment and Jasmine was already back from Union Hall after making certain that everything was in place. It was at this point that Alek told them what happened after he was taken from the tomb.

Apparently, Johnathan showed up and attempted to intervene, but being outnumbered, he wasn't able to be of much help. Alek surmised that it must have been somewhere along that time when Johnathan was able to transfer the tracker to his jeans.

"It's not like Johnathan to just charge in like that," Quentin shook his head, looking confused. "He knows how the Order works… I don't get it."

Jasmine shot her brown eyes toward her cousin. "Are you sure you don't remember what happened to him?"

Alek shrugged as the healer fixed the gauze over his skin. "I told you… They knocked me unconscious before I could even figure out what was going on. The only reason I know that he came is because Whitley said his name."

Chloe frowned as she propped herself over one of the empty couches. She didn't want to face Meredith that night. She didn't have it in her to explain everything that just happened. She looked Alek's way and opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated and pursed her lips instead.

Alek noticed and fixed his gray eyes on her. "What is it, Chloe?"

"I was hoping I could stay the night…" Chloe's blue eyes looked away and her cheeks flushed into a light pink. "I just don't want to talk to my mom about all this. Not yet. Not tonight."

Alek brows met quizzically as he noticed her begin fidgeting with her fingers. What's she so nervous about? It's not like she hasn't stayed the night before. It then hit him. Things were different now. A smile escaped his lips.

"Of course you can stay here," Jasmine was the one who responded to the question, also obviously wondering why Chloe was acting so strange. "I'm sure Meredith will understand. Want me to give her a call?"

Chloe shook her head. "No. It's fine. I'll do it." She took out her cell and walked away from the group to contact her mother.

Jasmine shot Alek a bewildered look. He could only chuckle. Quentin, on the other hand, just seemed confused. When Chloe got back, Alek gave her his classic self-satisfied smirk. "So what did she say about you staying the night at your boyfriend's apartment?"

"Oooohhh…" Jasmine nodded, a smile forming on her lips.

Quentin looked surprised, but quite pleased.

Chloe's cheeks went from a light pink to a crimson red as she cast a half-affectionate, half-irritated glance at Alek. "Well, she doesn't know yet, does she? In her mind, you're just the Guardian."

Alek shrugged a shoulder. "I still am."

"All done," the healer said, giving their leader a small nod.

Alek smiled at the older woman. "Thanks, Laura."

"You'll be fine in no time," the healer responded, standing up from where she was seated. "Your wounds are healing pretty quickly."

"Not quick enough," Alek groaned before, once again, looking at Chloe, whom he noted made no objections when he called himself her boyfriend. He was certain that he was grinning like a crazy person and he didn't care. The Uniter is actually my girlfriend. "Hey… C'mere…" he coaxed Chloe, tapping the now empty space on the couch beside him. He hated seeing how worried she was over her father's disappearance.

Chloe blew a sigh and sat beside him, her hands quickly finding his, their fingers intertwining, as she snuggled against him.

"We'll find your father, Chloe," Alek assured. "If he's all that Quentin and Zane made him out to be, I'm sure he knows how to take care of himself. Besides, the Oracle is coming tomorrow. I'm sure she'll be able to help." He then turned his gaze toward Jasmine and Quentin. "Has everything been arranged for her arrival?"

Quentin nodded. "Everything's ready."

Due to the circumstances at hand, the Oracle's visit was pushed earlier and the revered Mai priestess was to arrive the very next day. Chloe heaved a sigh as she leaned her head on Alek's shoulder. Just being around him, sensing the feel of his skin against hers… it somehow eased the storm raging within her, helping her calm down. Once again, he became her refuge just as she was his. The words didn't have to be spoken out loud. They both knew it to be true. Everything was going to be alright.

**-oiOio-**

Johnathan sat comfortably on a black, leather couch, set in a classically decorated living room. Anyone who walked into the log house would be able to tell with a single glance that it was a man who was living there. He didn't bother to open the lights. He wanted to surprise the owner of the house. He stared blankly at the fireplace, memories coursing through his mind. Attempting to calm his senses, he reverted his thoughts to what happened earlier that day. He was able to escape the clutches of the Order after having failed to save Alek from them. He hoped that the tracker he transferred from himself to Alek was enough to help. _I can depend on Zane. _

The Oracle already assured him multiple times that the Guardian's brother could, in fact, be trusted. He debated with himself multiple times whether he should go to Alek's rescue himself, but chose to stay away from it. He was certain that the Guardian would make it through. _There are still prophecies to be fulfilled. It's not Alek's time. _He checked his watch. _He'll be here soon. _He straightened on his seat and just as he did, he heard the door creak open. Johnathan's heart stopped when the lights flicked open and for the first time in the past decade, he was once again looking at his father.

Jakob's jaw clenched at the sight of his son slouched on is living room couch. A muscle in the corner of his right eye twitched as he took a step forward, dropping his belongings on the floor and hanging his coat on a rack before shutting the door. He then spun around to face Johnathan. "Why have you come?"

"Not even a hello, father?" Johnathan asked. One could cut through the tension with a knife as Johnathan shifted on his seat, a bitter smile on his face.

"You don't deserve one." Jakob walked a couple of steps forward before settling himself on the empty leather recliner adjacent to the one his son was sitting on. "Have you come to kill me? Took you long enough…"

A smirk formed on Johnathan's face. "We both know that I'm done killing people. I have enough blood on my hands. Although considering that a lot of people would be saved by ending your life, it may be worth the…"

"Why are you here, Johnathan?" Jakob cut him off, unveiling his impatience.

"I would think you'd be happy to see me. You've been hunting me down since I left."

This was one thing Jakob hated about his son. The Order's greatest assassins, cold-blooded murderers, trembled before him, but not Johnathan. No… If Johnathan ever felt any fear toward him, he never showed any sign of it. Jakob kept the grim expression on his face as he looked his son in the eye. "I could have you dead in no time. Make no mistake about it."

Johnathan chuckled, leaning against the couch. "Then why am I still alive after all this time?"

Jakob frowned. Many times… many times… the Order could've ended Johnathan, but he prevented it. Despite his betrayal of the Order, Johnathan was still Jakob's only son. If there was an emotion that was greater than the elder's hatred for the Mai, it was his love for his son. Jakob straightened on his seat before huffing out, "I repeat. Why are you here?"

"Olivia's dead," Johnathan announced, watching Jakob's face for a reaction.

The grim, stoic expression remained on the old man's face. He didn't even flinch upon finding out about his long-time friend's demise.

Johnathan grinded his teeth in frustration. "Did you do it? Did you kill her?"

"Leave."

Johnathan's face fell, his heart sinking. That was enough of an answer for him. He stood up and shook his head, completely disappointed. "How many more have to die, father? How many more?" He then walked away, unable to stand the idea that Jakob's blood was running through his veins.

Jakob ran a hand over his face, flinching when Johnathan slammed the front door shut. With his son gone, he found himself mulling over the reason behind why Olivia had to die. He reasoned to himself that it was because the old woman preferred to keep the Uniter alive and use the young girl to further the Selki race's goals. However, it really wasn't that. He had to end Olivia because she was getting too close to the one person that Jakob loved, and Jakob knew for a fact that Olivia blamed his son for everything that went wrong in her life. Jakob knew that should Olivia ever get hold of Johnathan, she wouldn't hesitate for even a breath to end his life.

Sitting in that empty room, Jakob clutched the arms of the leather recliner, shut his eyes, and tried to trap within his memory the way Johnathan looked as he sat across his father only moments ago. He knew that it would be a long time before he could see his son again. A heavy weight settled on the old man's chest. In his twisted mind, he truly believed what he whispered next. "I did it for you, Jon."

**-oiOio-**

Foiling all plans meticulously prepared by the Mai for her arrival, the Oracle insisted that only a select group of people meet with her at the Guardian's home. For that reason, the next morning at the Petrovs' penthouse was spent in quite a flurry. Sitting on the countertop, dressed in a crisp white polo and dark jeans, Alek was biting into an apple, looking quite peeved at all the commotion in their home. _Why doesn't anyone get what our home's location clearly indicates? We're not a big fan of visitors. _

Jasmine appeared beside him, wearing a little black dress and high heels. Her black hair was pulled up in a chic bun. Her long lashes were further enhanced by the mascara and her lips emphasized by the pink lipstick. She cast her cousin a sideward glance and grimaced at the way he was looking at her. She was absolutely certain that he was preparing to give her some smartass retort about her appearance. "Fine," she rolled her eyes. "Give it to me."

Alek smiled and, to her surprise, chucked her lightly on the jaw with his fist. "You look great, Jasmine."

Jasmine blinked her eyes several times before it actually sank in to her that her cousin – Alek Petrov – _actually _gave her a compliment. "Did that just happen?" she asked, but realized that he was now distracted. She followed the direction of his eyes and found Chloe, who went home early that morning to prepare for the Oracle's arrival, coming inside the house with Meredith. A few seconds after they stepped in, a man, whom they could only assume was Johnathan, walked in right behind them. Earlier that day, Chloe called Alek at quite an unholy hour to tell him about Johnathan's return.

Jasmine waved at the guests and looked to her side to find a half-eaten apple on the countertop where Alek was sitting. The young man was already on his way to his girlfriend. The thought made Jasmine smile. _Them together, _she thought, _is just so right. _

The moment Alek saw Chloe, he had to catch a breath. _She looks stunning_, was his first thought upon seeing her in the light blue dress that wonderfully highlighted her alabaster skin and beautiful blue eyes. He reached for her hand and pulled her into an embrace upon seeing her, before greeting Meredith and giving the older woman a hug.

"Chloe told me everything this morning," she whispered to his ear. "Take care of her, Alek."

"You know I will," he reassured her before pulling away. He then faced the man they were with. "You must be Johnathan."

Johnathan smiled and shook the hand he extended. "Alek."

"Thank you…" Alek said, holding on to the firm handshake, "…for yesterday."

Before Johnathan could respond, something caught Chloe's attention and a naughty smile creeped into her face. "Hey, Mom," she piped up, lightening the mood. She pointed at a pretty redhead, who seemed to be getting quite a handful of instructions from Quentin, because she was busily jotting down a bunch of stuff on a little notepad, but not busy enough to keep her from stealing a couple of glances Alek's way. "Fan girl."

"Ohhhh…" Meredith nodded with understanding.

Alek glared at Chloe, annoyed. "Did you hear about the fan site?"

Chloe nodded, soft giggles escaping her lips. "M-hm."

"I showed her this morning," Jasmine showed up and quickly entered into the conversation.

"You mean it's still up?" Alek almost growled with surprise, only to be ignored when the three women set their attention on formally introducing Jasmine to Johnathan. Alek groaned, casting a weary glare at the young Mai. _I'll deal with this later, _he figured. He was about to mix in on the rest of the group's introduction when a familiar face stepped into the room. _Zane. _

It seemed the others noticed, because Chloe gently brushed her hand against his elbow and nodded toward Jasmine.

Alek could only frown as Jasmine stiffened, her face paling at the sight of the man who killed her mother. "Jas…"

"What's he doing here, Alek?" Jasmine demanded.

"The Oracle specifically asked that he come," Alek tried to explain.

Jasmine's jaw clenched and her eyes were beginning to moisten as she shook her head.

To their surprise, Johnathan stepped up. "May we have a chat? You and I?" He pointed a finger at Jasmine and then at himself.

Wanting to get away from everyone else, Jasmine quickly obliged. "Please… Let's go."

Meredith excused herself in order to go to the bathroom, leaving Alek and Chloe standing there, looking at the Guardian's brother.

"Will you ever be able to forgive him?" Chloe asked, linking arms with her boyfriend.

Alek only shrugged in response. "I can't even bring myself to accept the fact that he's my brother."

Zane must've felt their stares on him, because he glanced their way. It was easy to see that he wasn't very comfortable, that he felt out-of-place.

Feeling sorry for him, Chloe debated with herself whether she should suggest to Alek that they go talk to the young man, but found she didn't have to, because a short knock on the door revealed that the Mai's legendary Oracle already arrived.

Alek straightened to his full height and held Chloe's hand. Both of them walked toward the door, anticipating their first meeting with the famed Oracle_. _Alek held the knob and pulled the door open. Chloe and Alek exchanged surprised glances, because they didn't quite expect what they saw. Three large, intimidating Mai were waiting outside, as they stood guard over a little, young girl. The Oracle was a child.

She smiled at both of them. "Chloe and Alek," she nodded toward each one. "The Uniter and her Guardian. You look lovely together," she cooed.

Moments later, everyone found their own spot in the living room. The Oracle's bright green eyes sparkled with delight as she looked at every face in the room. She sat cross-legged on the ottoman set on the center of the room, where everyone could see her. She flipped her brown curls over her shoulders, sighed and let a solemn expression come over her innocent-looking face. "I came here because my visions as high priestess of Bastet have been increasing lately, and with the recent events that occurred, I feel it is necessary that I expedite my visit and come as soon as possible. That is why I am here today."

"She doesn't speak like a child, does she?" Alek whispered into Chloe's ear. They were sitting on the wide white couch, right across where the Oracle was.

Her blue eyes widened and she nodded in agreement. "She's like an old woman in a child's body. It's kind of creepy."

The Oracle looked Chloe's way and Alek tried hard not to laugh at the guilty expression on the Uniter's face. Being the supportive boyfriend that he was, however, he squeezed her hand gently to let her know that everything was fine.

"I came simply to tell you that each of you present in this room has a role to play in order to fulfill the prophecy that was triggered into motion when the long-awaited Uniter was discovered. Our race has become increasingly disunited over the past years. If it's already a challenge for the Uniter to unite our race alone, how much more of a challenge will her ultimate destiny to finally make peace and settle this war among the races be? The Uniter and the Guardian will need all the help they can get." The Oracle set her eyes on Alek and Chloe. "You will need every person in this room to fulfill what you were made to accomplish. Most of all, you will need each other."

Chloe and Alek exchanged glances, before the weight of everything that was to come slowly sank into Chloe. _This entire thing is so much greater than I am. How do I accomplish this?_

"Just because the curse has been broken, doesn't mean we've triumphed," the Oracle said. "Greater obstacles are about to come our way."

Chloe furrowed her brows in wonderment. "I'm sorry… I don't understand… What do you mean the curse has been broken?" It was evident that everyone in the room was both intrigued and surprised by the statement.

The Oracle shifted on her seat, a confused expression on her face. "You kissed a human and he didn't die. Prophecy dictates that when a Mai kisses a human without harming the human, the curse is broken."

"Brian wasn't human…" Alek spoke up. "He's Selki."

"I'm not speaking about Rezza's boy, Guardian," the Oracle replied. "I'm talking about the boy she first kissed."

"But Xavier died…" The thought still haunted Chloe and the familiar weight of guilt fell heavily on her chest.

The Oracle nodded. "Not from your kiss, Uniter. He was killed by one of the Order's assassins." The child blew out a sigh, looking rather irritated by the conversation. A you-should-already-know-this expression was on her face as she continued her speech. "The curse _is _broken, but as I said, that doesn't change anything…." The Oracle then proceeded to tell them of what they could expect from the future.

Chloe was still left stunned by the revelation. It was when Alek grabbed her hand and lifted it so he could kiss the back of her hand that she snapped out of her shock. _Everything's going to be okay, _he mouthed at her. She smiled and nodded. It was evident to Chloe and Alek that thought they still couldn't fully comprehend everything that the wise child was saying, it didn't really matter. There was still a lot in store for them, but they were going to get through it together. Somehow both could tell what the other was thinking, and it was Chloe who eventually voiced their thoughts out as she softly brushed her hand over his thigh.

"It looks like the story has only just begun."

**-oiOio-**

_Nine years later…_

_A black Jaguar pulled over in front of the large, sprawling bungalow that became known as the heart of all Mai operations. It was easy to see why, because two of the most important and influential people in the Mai race lived there – Alek and Chloe Petrov. The young twenty-two-year-old woman peered from outside the passenger seat's window at the beautiful structure before her. She was nervous, but she didn't want to show any sign of that. She flipped her black hair back over her shoulders and blinked her striking green eyes before casting a glance at the man sitting on the driver's seat. _

_"Relax, Cecil," Brian assured her, though he was scared out of his wits. In fact, he was saying the words more to himself than to his fiancée._

_"Relax?" Cecil grimaced. "My brother is going to kill us."_

_Considering all the history between him and me, that may actually be true… __Brian thought, but what he said was, "He's not going to kill you." __Me maybe, but not you… __"Let's go, shall we?" _

_They had just come from London to meet the Campbell's. Considering what a successful businessman Brian managed to make of himself over the years, he quickly gained the approval of Frederick and Isobel. Now, all he had to do was get past the older brother. Brian was horrified when he found out who Cecil's brother was. It'd been years since he last encountered Alek and Chloe and their encounter wasn't all that pleasant. However, Brian was too madly in love with Cecil to care about Alek's opinion regarding the whole matter, so there he was… manning up and facing the man who was once his rival for Chloe's heart. _

_As they walked up the stoop that led to the front door, Brian had to admit that he was nervous, but he knew how important this was to Cecil, and for her sake, he wasn't about to back down. As they reached the top step, both heaved a sigh before Cecil motioned to knock on the large mahogany door. Before she could, it swung wide open, revealing a rattled-looking Alek as he threw a shirt over his head, his blonde hair completely disheveled. _

_Alek creased his brows at the sight of Cecil, but before it could even register to him that his sister was standing in front of him, he frowned and began fishing through his jeans' pockets. "My keys… Crap…" He looked at his sister. "Cecil, do you have a car?"_

_Cecil, quite dumbfounded, nodded. "Yes… Alek, what's going on?"_

_"We're taking your car." Alek concluded before brushing past her. He then caught sight of the guy standing beside her. "Brian? What are you – You know what? I don't even want to know. Let's just go. Can you drive really fast?" he asked Brian._

_Brian nodded rushing in stride with the agitated Mai. "Yes. What's going on?"_

_"What the hell am I talking about?" Alek said. "You're Selki. Teleport me to the hospital. Now."_

_"I don't really do that anymore…" Brian shook his head. "I mean I can't… not after all these years that I haven't…"_

_Alek rolled his eyes. "Never mind. Drive fast." He got on the passenger's seat of the Jaguar. _

_"Who's at the hospital, Alek?" Cecil asked as she got on the back seat. _

_"Who else?" Alek snapped at her. "I never should've let her go alone. Stupid baby showers..."_

_Realization dawned on Cecil. Last time she talked to Alek, he'd updated her about Chloe's condition. She was almost eight months pregnant with twins. "Did something happen to her? What about the babies?"_

_"Cecil, stop it with the questions. They're driving me insane. I don't know, okay?" Alek shot at her just in time for Brian to get in the driver's seat. "Drive!"_

_The truth was that Alek had no idea exactly what happened. He just knew without a shadow of a doubt that Chloe had just lost her seventh life. He knew it the moment the familiar rush of adrenaline jolted him from his nap and the strength seeped into his body. It was Jasmine's alarmed voice mail on his phone that confirmed his fears. It said, "We're on the way to the hospital. Chloe's been shot."_

**-to be continued-**


	17. The End

_It was a scene right out of the Twilight Zone. Surreal… Dim… In slow motion…_

_Alek ran to the waiting area where Jasmine and Amy were already… well, waiting. Zane followed soon after. Alek spoke with Jasmine, "What happened? How is she?" _

_Jasmine only shrugged and shook her head as she said, "I don't know. It all happened so fast…"_

_A doctor came out of the operating room and somewhat instinctively went to Alek. "Are you her husband?"_

_Alek nodded. "How is she? How are the babies?"_

_The expression on the doctor's face was enough to tell him what happened and as the doctor tried to explain, Alek didn't even hear anything he said. "Where's my wife? Where's Chloe?" he demanded and brushed past the doctor as he made his way to her. When he saw Chloe, his heart dropped. Her face was pale and tear-stricken. When her blue eyes – lackluster and drained from emotion – met his, she began to sob. "I'm so sorry, Alek. I lost them… I lost our twins. I'm so sorry…"_

_"No… Chloe, don't… It wasn't your fault." Alek shook his head as he made his way to her, pulling her in an embrace. As he wrapped his arms around his wife, all Alek Petrov could think of was, "They're going to pay."_

_Half-crazed, wild-eyed and tormented by the loss of his children, Alek got a bazooka and blasted the Order's headquarters into smithereens, annihilating their race's most powerful foe. And they lived happily ever after._

**-the end-**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Thank you for reading The Guardian! If you're satisfied with that ending, please leave a review and tell me everything you liked about the story. If, however, you find you want to march up to my home with pitchforks and knives after reading that ending, I'm glad to inform you that the above isn't the actual ending… So here we go…

Oh yeah, by the way, since the whole thing is just in one timeline (the future), I won't italicize it. This just picks up from last chapter's "Nine years later…" scenario.

* * *

><p><strong>- Epilogue: The End of the Beginning<strong> **(continued)****-**

_E_arlier that morning…

Sunlight broke through the glass windows of a spacious bedroom inside a large penthouse apartment. Lying on her side on the king-size bed, Jasmine blinked her eyes several times, a blissful smile on her face. She squinted her eyes against the sunlight, wondering to herself why there was such a severe lack of curtains. She shifted slightly on the bed and frowned. _This isn't my mattress, not my pillow, definitely not the scent of my bedroom._ As if she weren't confused enough, Jasmine's entire form tensed when she felt an arm clamp down her waist. She pulled the navy blue sheets over her form, not daring to even glance at the arm draped over her. _Not my sheets._ She then caught sight of her clothes strewn all over the floor. Memories of what happened the night before came to her in one swift array of images.

She recalled how angry she felt, how completely annoyed and ashamed she was when she found out that it was Zane. It was Zane who once again did something that she had no choice but be forever grateful to him for. It was him who found the locket – once Valentina's – a prized family heirloom. It had been lost for so many years, but when she casually mentioned it to him during one of their more casual and light-hearted conversations, he found a way to get it back for her. Zane and all the sweet things he'd done for her over the years. Zane, who took a bullet for her once, and put himself in danger for her countless times. That evening, she stormed to his apartment, mad as hell, asking him why he was doing what he was doing, why he was being so nice to her. Jasmine wanted to hate him, despise him, loathe him and for the longest time, she did, but after nine years of him always being there for her, it was getting harder and harder to keep her guard up around him. _Now, it seems you've finally won, Zane._ It took nine years, but here she was… all guards down, once again vulnerable to him.

Jasmine's jaw tightened as she recalled the sadness in his brown eyes when he quietly asked her the night before, "Will you ever stop hating me, Jasmine?"

Jasmine could clearly remember how her heart broke at the pain in his voice. Her breath hitched and tears ran down her face as she responded to him, "You don't get it, do you, Zane? It's not you that I hate!" She paused and the softness and empathy in his face proved to be her undoing. "I hate that I don't hate you when I should. I hate that you're always there and that no matter how I fight it, and despite what you did, I still feel for you the way I did when we first met…" she broke into a sob.

It was the first time she'd shown any sign of emotion toward him. She felt so vulnerable and she hated that it happened in front of him. No man other than Zane had that effect on her. What followed was a gentle caress, with him brushing her tears away, attempting to calm her down with his soothing voice. And then a kiss… _And now, this._ Jasmine shut her eyes attempting to deny what happened. _This is just a dream. None of it happened._

She lied on her back and held her breath before turning her head to the side. Sure enough, there he was – Zane – completely lost in peaceful slumber. Jasmine swallowed hard before grabbing a clump of her hair with one hand. _How could I have let this happen? How could I have allowed myself to once again fall in love with Zane?_ She paused, analyzing her last statement… _No… this can't be… What am I saying? I'm not in love with him…_ Jasmine pried herself away from his embrace and got out of the bed as quietly as she could, careful not to wake him up.

She just began to pick up her clothes when her phone rang, jolting her in surprise. She picked it up and croaked a weak hello, nervously looking at Zane and finding herself relieved to see that he was still asleep.

"You're late." Amy's perky voice came through the phone.

Jasmine's brain was spinning. "Late?"

"Earth to Jasmine. Chloe's baby shower… Hello? Seriously… What is wrong with the world today?"

_Damn… I can't believe I forgot!_ "Okay, okay…" Jasmine began throwing her clothes back on as quickly as she could. "I'll be right there." It took barely five minutes for her to get all dressed up and ready to leave, but not before she stole a glance at Zane's sleeping form. As the image of him eyes closed, dark curls tousled, lips curled up in a satisfied smile etched itself on her memory that morning, she tried to convince herself that it meant nothing._ What happened means nothing._ As she walked out of his apartment, she knew that it was a big fat lie.

_ It means everything._

**-oiOio-**

They sat inside the café next to the boutique where Chloe used to work. Knowing that Chloe needed to catch a break from all her duties in trying to bring together the Mai, instead of a typical baby shower party, Amy and Jasmine planned out the entire day so that they could go to several places that were memorable to Chloe and on each spot, Chloe would find something for her twins. Of course, the first stop was the café that had been their unofficial headquarters over the years. Waiting for Jasmine to arrive, Amy sat across Chloe on a table in a windowside corner of the shop that held so many memories for the two best friends.

"Chloe, you're absolutely blooming!" Amy exclaimed for about the hundredth time since she picked her best friend up from their bungalow.

Chloe smiled, her cheeks blushing a light pink as she affectionately caressed her growing belly. _You can thank Alek for that. _

She'd been married to Alek for three years and she was still as in love with him as she was when she was sixteen. They went through a lot of ups and downs over the years, but Alek was her compass, her constant, and she was his. She couldn't imagine how she would've survived the past decade without him. Whenever she reflected on that day at the warehouse when she took one of her own lives to save Alek's, she had no regrets. _It was a life well spent._ Of course, Alek didn't completely agree with that, often reminding her never to take any of her lives again on his behalf. Chloe would only roll her eyes in response.

"I know that smile," Amy interrupted her thoughts.

Chloe snapped out of her besotted reverie and creased her brows at Amy. "What smile?"

"That's the smile you get whenever you're thinking of his Royal Hotness." Amy gave her best friend an all-knowing grin. "Honestly, it really is sweet how you're still so into Alek."

"He's my husband, Amy," Chloe replied with a soft chuckle. "Of course I'm still into him. I can't believe you just called him 'his royal hotness'. It's so high school."

"I knew you were meant for each other the moment I saw him." Amy pointed at Chloe, a smug smile on her face.

"That is not how I recall it," Chloe furrowed her brows and naughtily pouted a bit as she shook her head. "The first time you saw Alek, you were convinced that he was meant for you."

"Not true," Amy raised a brow before taking a sip of her latte.

"What's not true?" Jasmine asked, slipping on the seat beside Chloe.

"That Amy had a thing for my husband in high school," Chloe said.

"You were into Alek?" Jasmine gave Amy a mocking smile.

"I was not!" Amy protested, her cheeks blushing red. Her shoulders then sagged. "Okay, fine. Maybe a little, but I totally got over him when Paul and I became… well, Paul and I." She then frowned and looked Jasmine's way. "Let's not veer from the real issue here. Miss Jasmine, why so late?"

Jasmine heaved a sigh. "I don't think I want to talk about it. Today's about Chloe."

"Come on…" Chloe shook her head in protest. "Alek and I have been traveling so much throughout the pregnancy, and I love his company – don't get me wrong – but I miss the girl talk. I would love to hear what's going on with you, Jas. What happened?"

Her eyes downcast, Jasmine fumbled with her fingers, not knowing how to explain. If she were to be honest with herself, she needed to talk about what happened, but she didn't know how. "Zane and I… last night, we… I can't even explain how guilty I feel."

Chloe and Amy exchanged concerned glances, getting the gist of what Jasmine was trying to say.

"Valentina would want you to be happy, Jasmine," Chloe assured. "That was almost ten years ago. Zane is not the same person."

"I know," Jasmine nodded. "I'm honestly just so scared. I feel so vulnerable."

Neither Chloe nor Amy knew what to say, but it seemed they wouldn't be able to speak even if they had the words. Jasmine's expression changed from sadness to horror when she saw a red dot hovering over Chloe's belly. All she could do was scream Chloe's name and throw herself at Chloe before they heard a gunshot, the sound of one of the glass windows breaking and a bullet coming into contact with flesh. The café was in chaos.

"Chloe!" Amy exclaimed, her voice quivering.

Chloe was lying on the ground, Jasmine on top of her. Jasmine got up and checked on the Uniter. Their faces drained of color when they saw the blood on Chloe's waist. "Jasmine, the twins…"

Jasmine froze, trying to calm down and collect her thoughts. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure running toward them. Turning her eyes toward the person, she was relieved to find Zane rushing to her side.

"What happened?" he asked. Zane woke up only a few minutes after Jasmine hurriedly left his apartment. Disappointed by her disappearance, he figured he'd just join the Mai on Uniter duty and hopefully find something that would take his mind off Jasmine. He completely forgot about the baby shower and that Jasmine would actually be with Chloe all day.

Calming down, Jasmine took a breath. "Sniper. I'm pretty sure the bullet came from that direction," she pointed.

Zane nodded. "The Mai on guard is already trying to locate the shooter. What about Chloe?"

"The healers wouldn't know what to do to save the babies. I think we need to bring her to the hospital." Jasmine looked at Chloe, who was then slowly fading into unconsciousness. "Hang on, Chloe…" Jasmine then grabbed Zane's arm. "Find out who did this. I'll contact Alek." Not long after, Jasmine was in the ambulance with Chloe, trying to get in touch with Alek but getting only his voicemail. A stunned silence filled the vehicle when to her horror, Chloe flatlined. _Seven down, two to go._

**-oiOio-**

"Can't you go any faster?" Alek was completely unable to keep still as he sat on the leather seat of Brian's Jaguar.

"I'm going as fast as I'm allowed to, Alek," Brian said, looking rather unsettled by Alek's mood. "We're almost there."

"It's not fast enough," Alek frowned. He was a basket of nerves, his stomach in knots. He couldn't even bring himself to accept the possibility that he and Chloe could lose the twins. Breathing a deep sigh, he somehow snapped into attention and looked Brian's way. "Why are you here? With my sister at that?"

Cecil coughed from the backseat before laying her left hand on Alek's shoulder. "We can talk about that later. Right now, we need to think about Chloe."

The way Brian's hands gripped the wheel tighter at the mention of Chloe's name did not escape Alek's notice, and he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable around the Selki. Alek looked his sister's way and saw the diamond ring on her finger. He creased his brows and glared at her.

Cecil quickly withdrew her hand, a guilty expression on her face.

"Please tell me this is a joke," Alek mumbled, slowly comprehending what the scenario was implying.

Sensing the tension, Brian was relieved to see the hospital's façade come into view. "We're here!" he announced, much too enthusiastically.

Alek went from glaring at his sister to glaring at the Selki. "This isn't over," he simply said before practically jumping out of the front seat and speeding toward the reception desk. "Chloe Petrov please."

**-oiOio-**

Amy sat on the metal bench at the waiting area outside the delivery room, her dark curls bunched up messily against the concrete wall, where she was leaning her head. Jasmine was pacing the floor anxiously, her hands brushing against her arms in an attempt to calm herself down. She halted her pacing when she saw her cousin practically storming into the pretty much deserted corridor. She made out Cecil and Brian trailing behind him, but paid little heed to them, her sole focus being on Alek.

"Alek…"

Alek grabbed her arm and pulled her into the corner. "Where is she? What happened?" Why did you bring her here?"

"She lost a life at the ambulance and came back to life seconds later when they pulled the bullet out of her. They're trying to save the babies." Jasmine's big brown eyes revealed her concern. "It doesn't look good, Alek."

Alek took a step forward, closing in on her cousin, his grip tightening on her arm. "Why did you bring her here, Jasmine? Why not our healers? What did the humans think when Chloe suddenly just came back to life?"

Jasmine shrugged. "They were awed, but mostly, they were just relieved. We've never had a pregnant Uniter get shot before, Alek. Our healers are not trained to handle saving the lives of your unborn children. I thought this was our best shot."

Alek's mind was reeling, fear gripping at him. He couldn't even begin to imagine what Chloe was feeling at the time and it was making him sick to his stomach to think that she was going through this. Every time she lost a life, he always felt that he was to blame. "I need to go in there."

"Alek, you can't…" Jasmine shook her head and brushed a hand against her best friend's arm. "All you can do right now is wait."

"Who did this?" he said through gritted teeth, his nostrils flaring, revealing his rage. The Order hadn't done anything against the Mai over the past years, so Alek was seriously doubting that this was their doing.

"Zane is leading a team to find out who was behind the attack," Jasmine explained. "I would've helped, but someone had to go with Chloe."

Alek took several heavy breaths, not knowing what to say.

Jasmine frowned. "I think they were purposely trying to kill the babies, Alek."

Alek furrowed his brows and sent Jasmine a questioning gaze. "What – Why would…"

"They were specifically targeting Chloe's belly. If I hadn't pushed her in time…" Jasmine paused and gave her cousin a meaningful glance.

Before Alek could respond, they saw Zane's limp form approaching them. His hand was on his arm, putting pressure on an open wound. He gave Brian and Cecil an odd look and just shrugged his curiosity over their presence away. He then nodded his head toward Amy, who seemed too rattled to pay much heed to any of them, before going straight to his brother. The first thing he noticed was Alek's hand still gripping Jasmine's arm. "I don't think you realize how strong you are, Alek," he said giving the Guardian a pointed look. "I'm pretty sure that will bruise."

Alek creased his brows and looked at his hand on Jasmine's arm. Jasmine just smiled at him – enough indication that he was indeed hurting her. "Sorry," he said, letting go of her before averting his attention to Zane. "Is it the Order?"

Zane didn't look so sure. "I don't know. Maybe. They're much more professional, Alek. I think the Order is involved, but this may be something greater than even them."

"Were you able to catch any of them?" Jasmine asked.

"Just one. Quentin and the team brought her to Union Hall," Zane frowned. "We're all banged up pretty bad. We lost one of our hunters. These were not your usual Order assassins…"

Alek took a step backward and placed both hands over his head. "What is going on? What are we up against?" He looked toward the delivery room's door and his heart skipped a couple of beats when a doctor came out of the room.

"Are any of Chloe Petrov's family here?" The doctor asked, his eyes instinctively falling on Alek.

Alek's breath hitched as he approached the man. "I'm her husband."

The doctor shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking rather perturbed. "I don't know how to explain it, Mr. Petrov, but in spite of the trauma your wife suffered from the gunshot, and despite the fact that your children were born premature…" he paused, as if unable to believe his own words, "you have a healthy baby son and daughter, Mr. Petrov. Congratulations."

Alek breathed a sigh of relief. "Can I go see my wife now?"

"Yes, but…" The doctor was about to say that only he could go in, but just shrugged it off when all the others brushed past him. He figured they deserved to find out how the patient was. The doctor was, in fact, certain that he'd just witnessed a miracle. It was beyond him how the babies could've survived without some form of trauma. The twins were two perfectly healthy babies.

Chloe was looking lovingly into her son's blue eyes when Alek showed up on the door. At the sight of him, a smile broke into her face.

When Alek saw her smile at him, he caught his breath and blew out a sigh. A nurse came to him and handed him his daughter. Alek hesitated. "She looks so fragile," he said, but took the babe anyway. As they held their newborn children, for a moment, Alek and Chloe were without a care in the world. The dangers that surrounded them, threatening their children's lives and theirs, were momentarily forgotten, replaced by the bliss of knowing that they were a family.

As Chloe looked at Alek's wonderment as he stared lovingly at their twins, her fears and apprehensions slowly gave way to a single thought: _These are the moments worth living for._

**-oiOio-**

They were still at the hospital room two days after the shooting. The doctor didn't want to release Chloe and the twins yet, seeking to make sure that there would be no complications. Leaning against the windowsill, there was a scowl on Alek's handsomely chiseled face as he watched Brian and Cecil speaking with Chloe. The fact that they were engaged was rubbing him entirely the wrong way. He frowned as he recalled the conversation he had with Cecil a day ago when things mellowed down to what Alek was certain was only the eye of the storm.

_He and his sister managed to get some time alone to talk after Alek volunteered to grab some takeout for Chloe, who was getting tired of the hospital food. They were in his car when he finally asked Cecil the question that had been burning inside him since he found out that she was engaged. "Why him, Cecil? Of all people, why Brian?"_

_"We love who we love, Alek," Cecil simply said. "You know that."_

_"And this has nothing to do with the fact that he's Selki?" Alek asked, knowing his sister's fascination with the different races ever since that day when Brian abducted him and placed him in a tomb. To that day, the memory of that encounter with the Selki made Alek seethe. _

_"Of course not," Cecil replied, shifting on her seat. "I was into him even before I found out that he was a Selki. When it sank into me that he was Chloe's Brian…"_

_Alek grimaced, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "Don't call him that."_

_"…that he was _the_ Brian," Cecil corrected, "I tried to avoid him, but I already had serious feelings for him by then."_

_"I'm not thrilled about this. I think that's obvious," he said as he took a turn toward Chloe's favorite Chinese restaurant. "Bloody hell, Cecil. This is even worse than when you were dating Kai."_

_Cecil blushed at the recollection of the Jackal. "He was sweet and he had killer abs."_

_"I'm sweet and you know I have killer abs," Alek shrugged a shoulder. "You're not into me."_

_"Because blood-related or not, you're my brother. That's just gross." It was Cecil's turn to grimace._

_Alek heaved a sigh. "If he makes you happy, then what can I do other than support you?"_

_A wide smile formed on her pretty face as she threw her arms around him. "You're the best!"_

_"Hey!" he bellowed as he hit the brakes on a red light, stunned by her sudden show of affection. "The hugging just might get us killed. I can't afford to die. I'm a father now you know…"_

_"You're going to make a great dad, Alek."_

_He pursed his lips in thought. _I hope so. _He then looked at Cecil. "Be careful, Cecil. I'd be lying if I told you that I trust the Selki."_

_Cecil nodded. "I will."_

As Alek watched his sister smile and laugh as she held hands with Brian, he wondered to himself if he had given in too easily. He didn't know if it was just all the history they had, but his gut clenched every time he saw Brian look at Chloe. _She chose me over him. She's my wife now. We have twins. Why do I still feel jealous when I see him around her?_ To his relief, the couple was now saying their goodbyes. As Brian and Cecil left, he couldn't help but think how awkward family reunions were going to be.

Chloe took one look at Alek and knew what was going on in his mind. "You're not very happy about them, are you?"

"Should I be?" he frowned.

"Your sister's happy, Alek. She's in love," Chloe said, rubbing her husband's hand. She got an 'empathy hit' out of Cecil and knew just how the young woman felt for Brian. Chloe was happy for her and for Brian. _It's about time he moved on._

Alek couldn't help but admire Chloe's heart. Through the years, she'd gotten to be a lot wiser than he was, often showing mercy and compassion when no one else would, and to everyone's surprise, often proving that showing mercy where they could was more often than not the best way to go. They'd accomplished a lot of things together over the past few years, but Alek could not help but feel as if there was still so much to accomplish and the fact that Chloe just lost her seventh life made him tremble.

To add to his anxiety, the door swung open and in came a very familiar face.

Alek's fists clenched and his muscles tensed in a fighting stance. _Simone._

Chloe's immediate thought upon seeing the redhead was how her children were doing. She reassured herself that Zane and Jasmine wouldn't let anything happen to the twins, but seeing Simone made her pulse double its pace.

"Why so anxious?" Simone asked. "It's been a while since we last saw each other. I thought I'd pay a visit."

All Chloe could do was glare at the woman. Despite her desire to believe that everyone had some sort of redeeming quality about them, Simone was one person that she found hard to feel mercy toward.

"What do you want?" Alek asked.

"Relax, Guardian. I come in peace."

"I'm surprised to see you're still in the game, Simone," Alek quipped, a mocking tone in his voice. "Look at those wrinkles. Isn't it about time you make good on the Order's retirement plan?"

Simone stepped closer and Alek immediately took on a fighting stance ready to attack her should she try anything.

Chloe grabbed Alek's arm when she got an empathy hit out of Simone. _She's afraid. _

"As if you two weren't already enough of a headache, you just had to breed, didn't you?" Simone asked disgustedly. "You have no idea what you did. The Order is gone. Annihilated for its failure to end you… I'm under new management," Simone paused.

From the emotions that she was getting out of Simone, Chloe could tell that the woman wasn't happy about the change of management. The fear that was coming out of Simone was making Chloe's heart speed up.

"Why are you here?" Alek said through gritted teeth. "What do you want?"

"I'm here to warn you," Simone said, straightening to her full height. "We can only imagine how powerful the children of the Uniter and the Guardian can be. A faction a lot higher than the Order, and much more powerful, isn't willing to wait and find out. They're going after your children…" Before she could say anything else, there was a loud crackling sound and Simone just fell to the ground, dead.

Whoever it was that annihilated the Order like she claimed, fried her brain and ended her life.

**-oiOio-**

Everyone important to their cause was present at the Petrov's bungalow that morning, huddled together uncomfortably in their living room. The Mai. The Jackals. The few remaining Selkis. Several members of the fallen Order, led by Johnathan. The Oracle.

Now a blooming sixteen-year-old, the Oracle was quite a beauty. She, however, still had the same unsettling wise aura about her that made them all treat her like an old woman. She sat on a red velvet couch across Alek and Chloe, each one holding one of the twins. Chloe's blue eyes roamed around the room, momentarily smiling when she saw Zane and Jasmine's hands clasped against each other's. She then shifted her gaze to the Oracle, who was giving her twins an affectionate glance.

The affection on the Oracle's eyes shifted to anxiety. The visions she'd been having were that of a confusing and mixed array of possibilities. One thing was clear to her however. It was a new prophecy, brought about by the reality that the Uniter and her Guardian had chosen to make their own.

The teenage Oracle surveyed the room, looking at everyone present directly in the eye. "The Skulls are an opponent that will prove to be greater than all the others you've come across. I've called the Mai and the rest of the races, who have over the years, shown potential of being worthwhile allies. The Order wanted to eliminate the Mai. The Skulls want to eliminate us all. You're here, because at some point or another, the Uniter showed you mercy when you deserved none. We do not know how she is going to accomplish her mission, but The Skulls fear her above all. She will need your help if we are to survive." She then looked meaningfully at Alek and Chloe, before uttering the prophecy that would so greatly influence their lives in the next few years. "Your lives have been forever intertwined and your blood runs through the blood of your children. Should either one of them die, so will the Uniter and her Guardian."

**-oiOio-**

The days that followed were days of chaos as Alek and Chloe did everything possible to ensure their children's safety. However, somewhere amidst the chaos, both Alek and Chloe felt a peace they could not quite comprehend. They were on the way to a safe house, with Alek driving and Chloe riding shotgun, Erik and Emilia sound asleep on the back seat, when Chloe grabbed Alek's hand. They exchanged glances, and at that moment, both of them knew without saying a word, that as long as they were together, everything was going to be alright.

**- the end –  
>(for real this time)<strong>

**-oiOio-**

**Author's Note:**_Yay! I finished a story! *dances around like a crazy, manic writer in joyful glee* I know, I know… the ending isn't very conclusive. I was just following the way I originally plotted out the story, so well, I hope you enjoyed the read anyway._

_To those who've been asking if I'm going to write a sequel, sorry, but no. I originally planned to have one, entitled **The Prophecy** (which would hopefully shed light to why I wrote The Oracle like an 80-year-old child – as **theregoesnash** put it in her always-long-and-insightful review – and put in more detail on the Alek/Chloe, Zane/Jasmine and Brian/Cecil relationships), where the flashbacks per chapter will show what happened in between the nine years and the present-day scenario will pick up from where this story left off with Alek, Chloe and their twins and all the complications that having kids and the new prophecy will bring about. However, I'm not going to continue to write it for two reasons: 1. It took me a lot of will power just to finish this story, since as I've said before, I'm losing my muse. 2. Based on the number of reviews on the last few chapters, I don't think there's enough interest left on this story to write a sequel. (That wouldn't have been a problem if I still had enough muse, because I normally write for the love of writing and for the love of the show, but without inspiration, writing a sequel would be a chore and I don't want to do that to myself.) Hopefully, you understand. If anyone wants to adopt the story and create a sequel, PM me and I'll give you any ideas floating on my mind – I can't give you a solid plot, because I haven't quite plotted out the sequel yet, but I'll give you whatever help I can._

_If you want to read more of my writing, I'll be finishing **The Princess & the Warrior **soon and if I still have enough will & inspiration to drain out of my system, I just might pick up on **The Scrapbook**. If you want to read original works of mine (they lean more on the spiritual side), I have a FictionPress account. My username is Psalmista. _

_To **theregoesnash**, **skye0717**, **Aya Ml**, **panaricanchick**, **L Note**, **Elegantly414**: yours were the most insightful and encouraging reviews among the bunch. I've said it before and I'll say it again – thank you! Your reviews are ones that I read over and over again. Your reviews are ones that I learn from. Hopefully, I could pick up enough from those reviews of yours to learn to be a better writer._

_**To everyone else who reviewed:**__ You're sunshine. Thanks for each and every review. I appreciate it wholeheartedly. _

_**To the rest of you who have read this story up to this point, who have added the story to your favorites and included it in your alerts:**__ Thank you! Each email notification has been a sweet and gentle nudge to keep on writing._

_**To all of you:**__ Again and again, thank you! If you could be bothered for a final review, letting me know what you thought of the story as a whole or giving any feedback that could improve my writing, characterization, plotting, etc., I would truly appreciate it, so please do leave a review. _

_Signing off on **The Guardian**,  
>The Brain of Ivane<em>


	18. Author's Note

**Author's Note: **Hi! It's been a while since I uploaded anything in this story. I haven't even been able to visit this site for a while because I forgot the email and password I used for this account and it took me some time to remember what it was. So I was surprised when I logged in and still got to see people reading and commenting on this story. I am so grateful - especially to those of you who encouraged me to continue writing. That means more to me than any of you might think.

Anyway, I don't think I have enough muse in me to continue writing for NLOCK. Let's face it. I haven't had that muse in a while. LOL. But if you're still interested in reading more of my writing. I have a website where I'm currently uploading my stories - right now, there's only one (and its a sims 3 story following the legacy challenge), but there will be more. So if you're interested, you can go to brainofivane dot com or you can google "the chronicles of clarke". ^_^ Stay wonderful, lovelies!


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